Ember Island
by FeiFei08
Summary: Prequal to Of Fire. Solely Tyzula.
1. Chapter 1

Ember Island

Chapter 1

"_Ember Island is a magical place," ~Li and Lo_

From her place the ride to wherever they were going was bumpy and full of turns. This was odd considering she had ridden in war ships before and not had this problem. If she really thought about it she probably would have concluded that it was her mood and the situation she was in that made the ride unbearable. Sitting in the deepest room of the war ship, far away from everyone excluding the two guards outside the room guarding the door, with her wrists and ankles bound in thick heavy metal chains, that did nothing but hurt her already arthritic wrist and ankles, was not helping her mood at all. The dim light of the candles with their purposefully small wick barely allowed her any light to see with. If this was how she was going to be treated after saving her worthless brother's life she probably shouldn't have done it and let those fake soldiers kill him. It almost made her want to go back on the deal she had made with him.

She shook her head at the audacity of it all, arms crossed despite the heavy chains, the only good thing about the ride was the silk bed she was sitting on. "Azula," A chirpy, happy voice sing-songed as the door to her room was opened.

'Make that two good things,' Azula thought, smiling internally but still keeping her stern displeased expression on the outside. "Ty Lee." The princess acknowledged as the acrobat entered the room – the doors closing heavily behind her.

"I brought you food!" Ty Lee exclaimed then looked down at the tray in her hands and at the bowl on the tray. "Though, I don't think I know what it is." She looked back up at Azula with a wide smile and continued to walk towards her. "You'll just have to try it. You haven't eaten solid foods for a while, so you'll have to deal with this soup or portage or whatever it is. Maybe tomorrow we can start you on some kind of real food." She babbled, fully expecting Azula to be non-responsive like she had been for a long time, as she set on the bed beside the princess. Scooting close to her princess until they were almost touching she dipped a spoon into the contents of the bowl. "Say aw" the acrobat said with a warm smile as she lifted the spoon.

Azula did no such thing, only lifting an eyebrow. "I am capable of feeding myself, you know."

The princess almost smirked when Ty Lee flushed violently, placed the spoon back into the bowl and looked down in sheer embarrassment. The acrobat looked up bashfully then handed the tray to Azula. "Sorry, I forgot. I'm so use to you being…you know…"

"It's alright." Azula assured, fully understanding since she knew Ty Lee took care of her through her darkest days, as she took the tray and put it in her lap, the metal chains clinking as she moved. "Did you do that a lot for me?"

Ty Lee smiled and nodded, "Yeah, how much do you remember?"

Azula shook her head in the negative, "Not much. Most of that time is a blur."

The acrobat sighed slightly, though she was still smiling "It's for the best I suppose."

The princess nodded, picking up a spoon. With a loud clang the metal spoon fell to the tray, causing Ty Lee to look down at it then back at Azula in alarm. "Are you okay? What happened?" She asked before she noticed her princess grabbing her wrist as best she could with the bands around them. "Do your wrists hurt?"

"What do you think?" Azula snapped, causing Ty Lee to flinch. "I'm in these damned chains all the time." The princess pulled the chains around her wrist, hearing them clink annoyingly as they pulled tight.

Ty Lee smiled softly in understanding as she gently took one of the princess' hands in her own. "That's all you had to say, Azula." With a single flip of her hand the acrobat produced a key.

"Where did you get that?" Azula inquired, more amused than curious, though neither of these emotions showed on her face.

A devious twinkle sparkled in Ty Lee's smoky eyes, one that Azula wasn't sure she had ever seen before. "A girl has her ways." Then she giggled, breaking the effect. "I lifted it from the guard outside," She whispered, cupping a hand beside her mouth.

"Where on earth did you learn something like that?"

Ty Lee giggled again as she shrugged. "I picked it up."

"Why would you need to know how to pick pocket?"

Ty Lee shrugged again, "Just in case. Now Azula, you have to promise me that if I take these cuffs off you won't try to escape or something."

The princess rolled her eyes. "Where would I go, Ty Lee?"

"Just promise!" Ty Lee insisted, unwavering in her demand.

Azula sighed. "Fine, I promise I won't try anything. Now take these damn things off." She stated quietly, almost coming out as a hiss, as she thrust her hands towards the acrobat.

The acrobat smiled brightly as she easily unlocked the chains, taking one of Azula's wrists into her own again and started to message, surprising the convalescent in how good it felt to have those cool hands massage the ache away. "I'm so glad you're okay now."

"You're the only one who seems to think I'm 'okay' now." Azula admitted, wincing involuntarily as Ty Lee hit a particularly sensitive spot.

"That isn't true." The acrobat quickly denied. "Aang seems to believe that you're back to normal." She paused for a minute as her eyebrows crunched together. "You should get Katara to look at your wrist. She might be able to heal them."

Azula scoffed at the notion as Ty Lee took her other hand. "That peasant is coming nowhere near me. However, how are your wounds?"

Ty Lee looked up from Azula's wrist with a confused expression before it dawned her. "Oh! You mean my back. It's fine! Katara healed the wounds to perfection. I don't even have scars." She let go of Azula's wrist, still smiling. "Try it now."

Carefully, as if she expected to drop it again, Azula picked up the spoon and dipped it in the…food. Hesitantly she placed it in her mouth and cringed. Ty Lee waited with baited breath for Azula' opinion of her meal. "This…is terrible. Do I eat this all the time?"

The acrobat giggled. "No, usually I can at least identify what they're trying to feed you."

The convalescent's stomach growled, prompting her to continue to eat what they called food. "I guess I have no choice." She mumbled and resentfully forced the spoon into her mouth. Ty Lee constantly watching her was making her somewhat nervous and, strangely enough, to second guess the way she was eating. Was she doing it right? Had she forgot something? "Do you know where they're taking me?" Azula finally asked, just to make Ty Lee stop staring at her.

The acrobat smiled. "We're going to Ember Island." With only a lifted eyebrow she told Ty Lee how confused that made her. "I know. I thought Zuko would send us somewhere else, that's secluded and far from normal people. But it seems he believes what Li and Lo said about it, that it was magical or something." She shifted her eyes to the silk sheets for a second after she finished speaking.

"You're not telling me everything." Azula deduced quiet easily. Ty Lee blushed slightly at being caught but didn't offer up any information. "Oh, come on Ty Lee. What's going on?"

"It's nothing." Ty Lee assured, taking Azula's hand into hers. "It really is. It makes me happy that you could tell that I wasn't saying everything. You're okay now." A few tears dotted the acrobat's grey eyes as she smiled. The princess sighed, wholly unfamiliar with situations like this and thus had no idea what was expected of her. "Thank you."

The simple thank you took the princess back. That was honestly the last thing she expected to hear. "For…for what?" Azula asked, thankful that she had the foresight to move the tray of meager food to the side before Ty Lee jumped on her, pulling her tight and holding her close in a tender hug that left Azula all kinds of confused.

"Nothing. I just missed you so much." The acrobat cried, leaving Azula frozen in place not moving a single muscle at the unfamiliar form of contact. After a minute or two Ty Lee pulled back and smiled, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "Sorry." She said.

"It's alright." Azula quickly interrupted before Ty Lee could explain herself further.

Ty Lee nodded, deciding to change the subject. "Okay. Zuko told me that you might need the basic low down of what's happened after the war."

"I suppose." Azula agreed.

She smiled warmly, taking the almost empty tray and sitting in on the stand beside the bed. Slowly Ty Lee moved closer to Azula, watching with a little interest as the princess tensed. "It's okay Azula. I won't bite." She chuckled. Azula remained silent. "Well, alright. So Zuko became Fire Lord, if you haven't noticed." Azula scoffed and crossed her arm as her aura turned many different shades of red. "I guess that's a yes. He married Mai shortly after." The princess' aura cooled slightly. "I guess you noticed that too." She paused. "Oh! They have a 6 month old son named Lu Ten."

"Lu Ten?" Azula questioned.

"Yeah, in honor of your cousin and uncle. It was Zuko's idea." Ty Lee informed cheerfully.

"Figures," Azula mumbled. "What did you do after the war?"

Ty Lee tensed at the question, earning her a questioning look from the Princess. "Well, after the war I…um…for a short while I joined the Kyoshi Warriors on Kyoshi island."

"You did." Azula inquired her tone deadpan and emotionless. "Why?"

"Um…" Ty Lee paused. "I made friends with them. It was only for a month, though. We swapped techniques."

The princess almost chuckled, but kept her expression trained to emotionless. "I don't really care what you did after the war, Ty Lee." the acrobat's expression fell instantly. "I just find it odd you would join a group of women who look very much alike when that's what you were trying to get away from at the very beginning."

"Oh." Ty Lee rubbed the back of her neck. "I guess that just didn't matter anymore. I learned a lot while I was…yeah."

"I see." Azula said coldly.

Any further conversation was halted instantly as the ship rocked to a shaky stop, sending the princess hurtling forward slamming right into Ty Lee – sending them both tumbling to the floor. When the ship steadied Azula found herself hovering above the acrobat, her wrists and ankles aching painfully. The ache was the last thing on her mind though, as she looked into those bright grey eyes that looked up at her with an emotion she couldn't readily identify. She was made keenly aware of how close they were when the slim body under hers squirmed a little but made no other action to move. Just before the door opened Azula jumped away from Ty Lee, wincing involuntarily at the pain, but glad the candles were low so that the acrobat wouldn't see the red that painted her cheeks. "Azula." Zuko's stern voice called instantly grating on her nerves but drawing both of the girl's attention.

Faster than Azula thought possible Ty Lee was in front of her, her hands up in a meaning of peace. "Zuko it's not what you think. I unlocked the cuffs."

"Ty Lee," Zuko almost yelled, his tone furious and confused. "Why would you even think that would be okay? She's dangerous!" he exclaimed swinging his arm angrily at his sister.

"She couldn't even pick up the spoon to feed herself." Ty Lee argued back, surprising Azula at the furiousness of her tone, especially against the Fire Lord – if she were Fire Lord no one would talk to her like that. But then again if she had become Fire Lord Ty Lee would still be in prison. However, she wasn't and Zuko apparently was still the weak soft-hearted fool he always had been for he only glared at Ty Lee. He opened his mouth and Ty Lee spoke again. "I'm not putting her back in those things. Can't you see it hurts her?"

Zuko looked at his sister, who turned away from him with her arms crossed – unwilling to admit that it was true. He sighed, beaten by the acrobat again and wishing he could say no to her without getting in trouble with Mai. "Alright, But if anything happens because of this you will be held responsible." Ty Lee nodded. "Guards!" He yelled and five heavily armed guards entered the room, surrounding the princess as they were instructed – pushing Ty Lee out of the way.

"Is that really necessary?" Ty Lee inquired as she followed Zuko and the guards out of the room.

"Yes." Zuko answered simply, making Azula smirk.

What an ego boost it was to learn that she was still feared even though just until a week ago she was locked up tight in a cell completely out of her mind. To test the theory she leaned towards one of the guards. She noticed that he flinched, bringing a smile to her lips. "Azula." Ty Lee chided lightly, which for some reason made her chuckle.

When the fresh ocean air rustled her long hair and the sun's bright full rays hit her face she couldn't help but stop in her tracks and take it all in. It was like meeting a long lost friend all over again. She couldn't remember the last time she had been out in the sun like this. Ty Lee smiled as she watched Azula's aura flare as the sun powered her Chi. Zuko's chuckle brought Azula back to reality making her walk again. The trek up to the mansion she had spent most of her younger summers in was ominous and foreboding.

Once they stepped foot into the inner gate of the mansion the guards disappeared to their posts and Zuko took their place to her left, with Ty Lee to her right. She didn't bother with them as she examined her surroundings. "You really fixed this place up, didn't you?" Azula inquired.

"You should see the room you'll be staying in!" Ty Lee exclaimed as she ran in front of the princess. "Come on! It's this way."

The siblings watched as the acrobat basically danced down the hall. "I have no idea why she feels the need to protect you." Zuko started when Ty Lee was far enough out of hearing rang. "You should feel lucky that you still have a friend like her."

Azula scoffed, noticing with disdain how the five pointed crown gleamed in the sunlight from a top his head. It also became apparent that he had grown a lot since the last time she had truly seen him. He was at least a foot taller than she was, his hair was longer and he seemed to be growing the traditional Fire Nation mustache. It struck her how much he looked like their father, except he had slightly more stress lines on his face and bags under his eyes. Probably from the mess she had caused him. She couldn't help smile (inwardly of course) thinking that she was causing him trouble. "What really gets me, Zuzu, is that you decided to let me stay here, the most visited vacation spot in the whole Fire Nation."

Zuko laughed. "This wasn't my idea. If I had my way you'd be on some secluded island in a little house with only a doctor."

Azula restrained herself from smirking. Here she was, just released from the sanitarium and still potentially crazy and defiantly not on the 'good' side and he was telling her things he should keep secret. "First, if I were you I wouldn't tell a person who has no reason to like you, a person like me, that you would have shipped them off to never be heard from again. Second, why didn't you?"

Zuko sighed, he really hated his sister. For some reason at the oddest most inappropriate times he decides to trust her. "Mai." He answered honestly.

"Mai?" this surprised Azula. "Why would she care?"

Again he sighed as they made their way down the hall, past the living areas and the kitchen. "Ty Lee." he said simply then elaborated, "That crazy girl insisted on going with you no matter where I sent you and Mai decided on Ember Island. She didn't want her best friend to far from her and out of reach of help if you tried anything."

Azula thought it over for a second. "That makes perfect sense." She admitted.

"Which is why you and her are here instead of some island." Zuko informed.

They passed another living area. "Where are all the servants?" Azula asked.

"There are none." He answered. "I didn't want to put anyone else's life in danger if I could help it. Servants will come in on the last day of ever week to do the laundry and clean the house but until then you and Ty Lee and your doctor will be the only ones living in the house. It will be constantly guarded, so don't try to escape."

"Great," Was Azula's sarcastic reply. "Any other limitation I should know about?"

"You have free range of anything on the property. Anywhere else is off limits."

"You guys take forever." Ty Lee announced from behind them, wrapping her arms around Azula's. "Come on, you're room is this way."

With an over dramatic sigh Azula allowed herself to be dragged to her 'room'. It was her old room, she noticed, and everything was just as she remembered, almost. Her bed was bigger, the same size as the one at the palace, but still covered in deep red silk with a lighter red silk pillows. The canopy was there as well, the red cloth drawn to the posts. She never thought she'd be so appreciative of silk as she was when she fell into the bed and sighed. "Are you tired?" Ty Lee asked, finding her way soundlessly beside the princess. Azula only nodded. "Alright, everything's changed so fast. You've probably had a rough couple of days. I'll be over in the next room, right across the hall, if you need anything."

The instant Ty Lee moved to get up Azula grabbed her wrist, stopping her instantly even though given the state of her wrists she could have easily pulled away. "My ankles." Azula said.

Ty Lee smiled, sitting up to move to the end of the bed – where the princess' feet were. With practiced ease she picked up the princess' delicate feet, noticing with a fierce frown the light scars around her ankles from where the heavy metal cuffs dug into her skin. She noticed the same around Azula's wrists as well, but hadn't had the time to address it. Under her fingers she could feel the swelling in her princess' ankles go down, see the chi flow evenly as Azula drifted off to sleep. For a few minutes she watched her princess sleep, like she use to do when Azula was in the cell, regardless of which one it was, and like she often did when they were growing up. Her eyes softened and she leaned over and kissed Azula's cheek. "Sleep well."

~x~

"Aren't you excited, Azula!" Ty Lee exclaimed as she entered one of the living rooms, the one where Azula set reading a book. "You get to meet your doctor today!"

She only rolled her eyes. "Why is this book here?" Ty Lee shrugged as she set a tray of food where Azula indicated by moving her arms away from her lap. She looked down at her tray. "Real food for once?"

Ty Lee smiled. "I thought we'd see how it goes. It's been a couple of days." Azula nodded thankfully. She really missed solid foods. "Zuko added a lot of books from all over the world since the war ended. It could be one of those."

"I suppose it has to be since it's printed in the Earth Kingdom." Azula replied as she tossed the book on a nearby table. With the perfect manners she was taught to have Azula dug into her food, inwardly savoring every solid bit. "Where did you get this?"

"The food?" Ty Lee asked and Azula nodded. "The market. It's good right?" Azula nodded again. "You never did answer me. Are you excited about your doctor?"

"Thrilled." Azula deadpanned.

"Azula," Ty Lee warned. "Be nice to him. I'm told he's really good."

"Who told you that?" Azula questioned.

The acrobat hesitated. "It doesn't matter. He'll be living with us."

"For now." Azula mumbled.

"What was that?" Ty Lee inquired.

"Nothing." Azula assured.

"Lady Ty Lee." A guard interrupted, eyeing the princess carefully but never making eye contact.

"Yes." Ty Lee asked, watching Azula's aura fluctuate from annoyance to anger as the guard completely ignored her.

The guard seemed to catch onto this as well as his aura moved to fear. "The doctor is here." He announced quickly.

"Thank you," She replied. "Please let him in." The guard left and shortly after an older man entered – his green clothing indicating that he was of the Earth Kingdom. Ty Lee smiled at him and he smiled back. "I'll leave you two alone." At that Ty Lee stood and left the room, taking Azula's empty tray with her and leaving her with a light 'be nice'.

He smiled warmly and set in the seat across from the princess. "You must be Princess Azula."

"Obviously." She answered, crossing her legs and arms to show just how much she wanted to go through this.

The doctor chuckled. "I am Doctor Lee." He announced, not that she really cared as she looked away.

He sighed this time, thinking that this was going to be a really long process.

~x~

"How was your session?" Ty Lee inquired as she entered Azula's room unprompted – something that would have gotten on the princess' nerves but at the moment she really didn't care.

Azula only rolled her eyes from the chair in front of the vanity. "If he asked me 'how does that make you feel' one more time before the session was over I was going to kill him." She informed.

Ty Lee smiled, taking the brush from the vanity and pulling it through Azula's silky black hair. "Aw, it probably wasn't that bad. Give him a chance, he might be able to help you."

"With what?" Azula asked, keenly aware of Ty Lee's empty hand running through her hair. "I'm fine." Ty Lee didn't answer. "Ty Lee." The Princess said, her worried, self doubting tone causing the acrobat to look up into Azula's reflection's eyes. "You don't agree?"

Ty Lee blushed slightly. "I wasn't really listening." She admitted weakly. "I got distracted. Your hair's gotten really long. I was thinking it needs to be trimmed."

Azula sighed and easily consented. "If that's what you think." Her hair was the last thing on her mind.

Ty Lee resumed brushing Azula's hair. "I know you don't like doctors. But Zuko demands that you get evaluated mentally before he lets you leave this place." The acrobat informed.

"I thought that might be the case so I answered all of Doctor Lee's questions." Azula sighed.

"How did that go and where is he now? I haven't seen him around." Ty Lee asked.

Azula exhaled heavily. "He stopped me half-way through my explanation, patted my hand and said he was too old to deal with a patient like me. I assume he left." Once the words registered in the acrobat's mind the brush in her hand yanked through Azula's hair, pulling it into a knot and forcing her head back with sudden pull. "Ouch!" Azula yelled before she could stop herself and Ty Lee dropped the brush instantly. "Damn it, Ty Lee!"

"I am so sorry, Azula." The younger woman amended quickly, as she untangled the brush from Azula's hair. "It's just that, I can't believe he would do something like that. It was only your first day. And what does that even mean, 'A patient like you'?"

"I don't know." Azula admitted. "Maybe I'm more damaged than I thought."

"Don't say that! Don't you ever say that." Ty Lee yelled, surprising Azula when she pulled the entire chair around so that they were facing one another. The acrobat placed both of her hands on the arm rests of the chair, leaning forward so that they were almost breathing the same air. "Promise me. Promise me that you don't really believe that. You're perfect just the way you are."

Azula's expression remained neutral, even though it filled her heart with joy to hear that the acrobat, her only friend, her Ty Lee, still believed that she was perfect. "Of course not, Ty Lee. I know I'm perfect." She lied easily, seeing how that little lie eased her only friend's worries. She wasn't kidding anyone, she knew she was broken.

"Good." Ty Lee stated, standing and crossing her arms with a nod of her head.

Azula only smiled inwardly, amused at Ty Lee's antics. She always knew the girl hid her true strength behind her deceptively feminine form but still. To move an entire chair with a person who was taller and probably heavier than her sitting in it, that was something. Maybe not heavier, Azula corrected herself as she looked down at thin frame, she could stand to gain a few pounds. Apparently, while she was incarcerated, they didn't feed her very well and she was awfully thin. But with the way she was eating now and lounging around the mansion doing nothing she was bound to gain weight then she could start her ordinary morning routine, the one she kept before the end of the war.

"Where did all these clothes come from?" Ty Lee asked, interrupting Azula's thoughts. The younger woman was at the bed, which was piled high with darker red clothes. "These aren't yours are they?"

"No, they're Mai's" Azula answered honestly.

Ty Lee giggled. "She's not going to like it when she finds out that you went through her stuff."

"Zuko said I could go through anything while I was here. That includes her things as well." The princess reasoned.

"True." Ty Lee agreed as she pulled a long sleeved almost black dress against her body. "She's still not going to like it. What do you think?"

Azula smirked as she examined her friend's form with the darker color clothes against her customary pink – though to the acrobat's credit it was a darker pink. Golden eyes roamed over every curve of Ty Lee's body. It was feminine indeed, more so than she remembered. Ty Lee seemed to have filled out quite nicely over the course of how ever long she was incarcerated and the princess found herself appreciating the view in a completely non-friend like way. "Azula." Ty Lee called, well aware of the change in Azula's thoughts.

"It's not you." Azula answered quickly. "You should stick to your normal colors."

Ty Lee tossed the dress on the bed, choosing to ignore the way Azula was staring at her this time – it was too soon for anything like that. "I agree." She shoved the clothes off the bed and set down. "So, I guess Zuko will be sending a new doctor soon."

Azula shrugged. "I assume so."

~x~

"Princess Azula." A guard addressed nervously roughly three days after Dr. Lee left.

"So, you're addressing me today." The princess said, not bothering to look up from the book she was reading. "I suppose you don't have a choice seeing as Lady Ty Lee is at the market." He shifted nervously and Azula rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

"The Fire Lord has sent a second doctor."

"Has he really?" she questioned as she set the book down. "Well, is the doctor here?"

"Yes, Princess. She is waiting."

Azula shook her head with a sigh. "Bring her in."

He nodded and left quickly. A few minutes later a young woman walked in, only a little older than Azula, her long dark brown hair braided in loose knots. "Hello princess." The meek young doctor said with a smile. "I'm Doctor Lin."

"Are you going to sit?" Azula inquired as if she didn't really care. The young woman set quickly, placing her large bag on the table and sitting. "One question before we begin though."

"Anything," Lin remarked enthusiastically.

"Are you an Air Nomad?" Azula asked, gesturing to the doctor's yellow and light orange attire.

Lin looked down at her flowing yellow robes and smiled. "Why, yes. My grandfather was an Air nomad. We were living in the Earth Kingdom before my mother finally told me."

"I didn't need an explanation. It was a yes or no question." Azula informed.

"Oh, sorry." She said, slightly embarrassed. Silence filled the air for a good five minutes. "Okay then. Let's start." Lin pulled out about ten pieces of thick white paper, each with a black ink stain on it. "First I want you tell me what this looks like to you." She showed Azula one of the cards.

Azula looked at the card, crossing her arms and lifting her eyebrow – silently asking if she was serious. When the doctor only smiled, Azula sighed. "It looks like you're insulting my intelligence."

Lin looked down at the card. "It's a ligament form of mental evaluation." She explained. "The Fire Lord did say that that was his main concern."

"I see, so you were handpicked by my brother?" Azula inquired.

"Well, yes." She answered honestly.

"Is that so?" Azula asked rhetorically, a devious glint in her eye.

~x~

"I'm back!" Ty Lee yelled through the mansion, walking briskly to the living room Azula preferred the most. The acrobat got to the sliding door just in time for it to be slammed open and a young dark-haired woman wearing yellow run out, her hands over her eyes. "Who was that?" she inquired, not failing to notice the smug look on her princess' face.

"My ex-doctor," Azula informed from her seat, her legs crossed with her fingers intertwined.

Ty Lee only stared for a second before what Azula said registered. She huffed lightly, "Azula, what did you do?"

"Nothing." Azula answered honestly, though the smug superior smile told her otherwise.

"I guess because you did nothing she ran out crying?"

"Oh, that." The princess stated. "It was probably because I told her what she asked of me and it wasn't what she expected or wanted to hear."

"What did you say?"

"She asked me what I saw and I answered the western air temple burning to the ground." Azula answered simply, gesturing to the ink blots still on the table.

Ty Lee walked over, moving some of the pictures around on the table. "Is that what you really saw?" the acrobat asked, the worry in her tone ruining Azula's mood.

"Of course not." Azula answered.

The younger woman turned to her friend, almost mad. "Then why did you say it?"

The princess sighed. "Ty Lee." she said seriously. "If she couldn't handle a little lie like that how can I expect her to handle the other things that have happened in my life?"

Grey eyes softened. "Things like what?"

Azula's gaze turned to the ground before meeting Ty Lee's again. "The same things that made my first doctor leave."

"Oh." Ty Lee said, sitting in the seat next to Azula. "I'll send a letter to Zuko telling him what happened."

"Why would you need to do that?" Azula inquired.

"I'm sure she's going to report back to Zuko. I'll just tell him why it really happened so he won't have you locked up again."

Azula stopped, she should have thought of that. It should have been a possibility that registered in her mind but she hadn't even thought of it. She was losing her edge. "Azula, are you okay?"

"Just fine," Azula lied with an easy smile. "How would you like to play a game of Pai Sho?"

"I'm not very good, but okay." Ty Lee agreed with a happy smile, pulling out the board from under the table. "Just one thing, though." She said as she set up the board.

"That would be?"

"Try to be nicer to the next doctor. Please."

"I'll do my best."

~x~

Azula moaned lightly as Ty Lee's talented hands wisped like a magical healing wand over her sore ankles. "You should get these looked at." Ty Lee suggested, though she continued to message the ankle even though the swelling was long gone.

"I did." Azula answered lightly, the message having moved to her feet and making her drift off to sleep. "He couldn't do anything." she said after a minute.

"Oh, well dang." Ty Lee said half-heartedly. Though the acrobat would never tell anyone she loved the sounds she could elicited from her princess. Her feet were always one of the princess' more sensitive areas and never failed to make her drift off to sleep. "I can't believe you were practicing so early in the morning." She continued to talk, knowing that her voice also tended to make the princess relax and sleep.

"Not my fault you get up so late in the morning." Azula countered as she closed her eyes.

"I know. I like to sleep in." Ty Lee easily admitted because it was true. "But I like to watch you practice and with the state of your wrist and ankles you could need someone there to make sure you don't get hurt. How long were you sitting there before I finally found you?"

"Hm." Was Azula's sleep dazed reply as Ty Lee moved to the other foot.

The acrobat only smiled and watched as her princess fell asleep under her menstruation.

"Lady Ty Lee." A guard interrupted.

"Shhh." Ty Lee warned, gently placing Azula's foot on the foot rest next to its twin and walking over to the guard. "What?" she asked quietly.

"The new doctor is here." He informed in a whisper.

"Really?" Ty Lee questioned, "It's only been a day."

The guard nodded as they headed out of the room, leaving the princess to sleep. "He has a letter with the Fire Lord's seal on it." He handed her a scroll, the royal seal stamped on the outside.

Carefully she opened the scroll and read what Zuko had written. "Okay, okay." She rolled the scroll back up. "Where is he?"

"He is unpacking his things. I will show you to his room." The guard said, motioning for Ty Lee to follow him.

The acrobat did, following the guard outside to a small house closer to the ocean but still on the grounds. From inside she heard someone rustling around. She motioned for the guard to leave and with a bow he did, returning to his post. Lightly she rapped on the wooden door, stepping back when she felt someone approach it. "Yes," a deep silky male voice asked as a tall handsome man opened the door. "Well hello," He said with a flashy smile, his pearly white teeth sparkling in the afternoon sun. "You must be Lady Ty Lee." He bowed respectfully when she nodded. "I am Doctor Huang. You can call me Hu." Again he smiled.

By all standards the man who stood in front of her was gorgeous, with his short silky black hair that had just a hint of wave and his strong toned muscles that were clearly visible through his red tunic. His eyes were a dull yellow, not quite the vibrant color of Azula's, but sparkled when he smiled. And from the way he smiled he knew he was good looking and didn't try to hide it. But Ty Lee was not taken by him like most of the female population would be. He was playing a game she played well and she wouldn't be fooled. Her only worry is that Azula might fall prey to his charm. She wasn't very socially inapt and not very good at this game. "It's good to meet you." Ty Lee said with a bow. "Princess Azula is currently sleeping. Would you like me to send word when she awakens?" she asked formally, making it very clear with her body language that she was not falling for him.

He caught on quickly, though a woman not wanting his advances was not something new to him and it never made his stop. So he smiled, deciding to change his tactics. "That would be fantastic. I shall see you then."

"Very well." She said, bowing again before turning and walking back to the main house. Her expression almost completely soured once she entered the building. 'What was Zuko thinking sending someone like him here?' She thought.

"What's with that sour face?" Azula's cool voice asked as the princess manifested behind her.

Ty Lee jumped at the sudden intruder – making Azula smile. "How did you get behind me? You were asleep when I left; when did you get up?"

Azula chuckled. "You walked right past me." She answered, leaning against a nearby wall and crossing her arms. "And I woke when you left with the guard. I'm guessing Zuko has sent me another doctor."

"Yes." Ty Lee answered. "I don't know if I like him yet. His name is Doctor Huang."

For a second the princess thought about what her only friend had said. "Make him leave if you don't like him." Was her simple reply.

The acrobat sighed. "I would. But he might be able to help you. According to Zuko you two have a lot in common. I can't possibly see what but that's what he said. Maybe you won't scare him off like you did the others." She said, a hint of smile touching her lips

Azula huffed. "I only scared one off, the other left of his own accord."

Ty Lee chuckled and patted Azula's cheek – making her blush slightly. "I know. I was only kidding."

The princess coughed to try and hide the blush. Though the attempt failed Ty Lee still ignored the blush. "We'll give him a trial week." Azula suggested "And see what happens."

Ty Lee nodded happily. "Sounds good. What would like to eat for lunch?" she asked as she causally looped her arm with Azula's – reinforcing the slight blush and making Azula curse mentally at her inability to control it.

~x~

The instant Azula met her new doctor she didn't trust him. But that was normal for most everyone so she let it slid this time. It's just that everything about him screamed fake, from his smile to the way he walked. It disgusted her. As the week progressed the only thing he did was get on her nerves. Their sessions were long and he kept bringing up subjects about her past that she had no desire to talk about. She felt like nothing was accomplished by these sessions and, much to Ty Lee's amusement, Azula would often go into small rants about him and how much talent he lacked.

Of course it didn't help his case that he would constantly flirt with Ty Lee. Azula did not play that game and wasn't 100% sure if Ty Lee reciprocated his feelings or was blowing him off. She was leaning towards the latter but wasn't sure. It was always apparent to Azula that Ty Lee was a flirt and she was good at the social scene. She had hoped that Ty Lee would have calmed down a little. Especially since after that one time not too long ago when she said…. But Azula wasn't sure if that had actually happened or if it was one of her delusions.

"She has a lot of problems." She heard her doctor say as she walked down the hall.

"Does she?" Ty Lee inquired in a tone that clearly said she had better things to do.

They were sitting beside one another, backs turned from the door Azula stood in. They weren't touching, with at least a foot between them. She had no idea what Ty Lee was doing in the empty room but if she had to guess she'd guess that Ty Lee trained in there. And there was also a view that Ty Lee was always informing her was breath taking. She didn't know anything about that, but that was probably why she was sitting on the wooden porch. "She does. You're such a good friend to stay with her for so long."

He placed his hand on her shoulder, which Ty Lee promptly removed. "I know."

He chuckled, "You're so cute when you're like this. Why do you stay with her? You don't have anything to gain from it." Ty Lee ignored him, tossing something out into the open outdoors. "So you're not going answer me?"

"I'm her friend and that's what friends do." The acrobat replied simply, unknowingly making Azula smile.

"That's good to know." Huang smiled. "That you're her friend."

"Why is that…" and he kissed her.

Azula gasped lightly, not loud enough for either to notice. When he pulled her closer Azula turned and walked away back to her room, fighting to keep her features neutral. She fell on her bed and stayed there motionless for the longest time. Ty Lee on the other hand was in motion the instant his lips touched hers. A few quick jabs to just the right place would have sent him to the ground paralyzed but instead she chose the old fashioned way – the way she had learned while training with the Kyoshi warriors. She punched him in the face – the force of which sending him a few feet away – followed immediately by quick sharp jabs, not unlike a snake, to those certain points that blocked his chi the best.

"If you ever do that again, I will kill you." Ty Lee promised, storming back into the mansion, waving the guards to deal with him.

She was so mad she went straight to her room, making sure to slam the door.

~x~

"Azula?" Ty Lee ventured, knocking on the princess' door before entering. Finding the princess snuggled in her bed – covers over her head. "It's well past noon, Azula. It's time to get up." Azula groaned. "Come on, you have to be hungry."

"Go away." Azula said.

"Come on, get up. I have lunch waiting."

"Fine." The princess growled angrily as she threw the covers off herself and pulled her robe tight around her body.

Lunch was eaten in total silence. Every conversation Ty Lee tried to initiate was shot down quickly and mercilessly. The instant Azula was finished eating she stood and made her way back towards her room. "Azula, wait." Ty Lee called, running to catch up and grabbing the sleeve of Azula's robe. "What's going on? Why are you acting like this?"

"Acting like what?" Azula questioned.

Ty Lee sighed. "You're being so cold. What did I do?"

Azula scoffed. "Like you don't know. I'm surprised you found the time to spend with me, what with your new boyfriend and everything."

"Boyfriend?" the acrobat repeated lightly – the wheels in her head turning quickly.

Golden eyes rolled as arms crossed. "I saw you two last night."

Ty Lee wrung her hands nervously. "You saw that?"

"I did. Now if you don't mind I'm going back to my room. You can take him and leave. Tell my brother I want a new doctor while you're at it." She walked past the acrobat, only for her to grab her arm in a panic at her princess' words.

"Azula, it was a misunderstanding. He kissed me. It meant nothing." Ty Lee protested quickly, trying unsuccessfully to beat down the panic she felt.

Azula yanked her sleeve out of Ty Lee's grasp. "How can I trust you, Ty Lee? This is twice you've betrayed me."

"I didn't" Ty Lee argued. "Please, listen to me. There's only been you."

The princess stopped in her tracks. "What?"

"There has only been you. I don't even like him or any of the boys I flirt with. I only like you." Ty Lee tried to explain. "Please believe me." Azula paused, not daring to believe that it could be true.

Doubt filtered into the princess' hopeful aura and Ty Lee sighed lightly before a determined expression crossed her face. Without much thought of the consequences Ty Lee grabbed the folds of Azula's robe and pulled her into a searing kiss. It wasn't anything to terribly involved but every fiber of Ty Lee's being was put into it, desperately trying to show Azula her true feelings. When Azula didn't respond Ty Lee broke the kiss, fearing the worst. The convalescent only stood there, expression trained to neutral, but her aura flared red. The color of passion and anger and Ty Lee couldn't tell which it was.

Tears pricked her grey eyes as she released Azula's robe, smoothing it out before backing up a step. "I'm sorry." She said, concluding from Azula's expression and aura that the latter of the emotions was the one the princess was experience. "I just wanted you to know that I…" She bit her lip and sniffled lightly. "I really do care about you."

Azula smirked, though Ty Lee couldn't see it because she had found an interesting spot on the clean carpet. "That's good to know." She said, her tone light.

Ty Lee's head shot up at the sound of the appeased voice but before she could get one word out Azula pulled the shorter girl to her, wrapped a hand around her waist and kissed her. For a second Ty Lee was stunned but quickly over came it and eagerly kissed her princess back. Only when they absolutely needed air did they stop, Azula resting her forehead against Ty Lee's – both smiling. "Promise never to leave me." Azula demanded, the smile on her lips curving down only slightly with her serious demand.

"Never." Ty Lee easily agreed.

"Promise," Azula demanded again.

"I promise never to leave." Ty Lee recited, leaning forward to lightly press her lips to Azula's. "Unless you tell me."

Azula chuckled. "I don't think that will be a problem." She kissed her cheek, "You're all I have left." the princess admitted in a whisper.

A/N: I don't know what it is but the first chapter is always the worst for me.


	2. Chapter 2

Ember Island

Chapter 2

"_Keep an open mind…" ~ Lo and Li_

Azula laid lazily on the couch with a pleased smile on her lips and her feet in Ty Lee's lap. Ty Lee was pleased that her massages put the princess at ease, allowing her to relax. "You really need to be more careful when you practice." The acrobat scolded lightly, her fingers ghosting over the swollen ankles. "You could really hurt yourself."

"Um-uh." Azula agreed lazily, not really hearing what Ty Lee was saying.

"Azula, I'm serious." The acrobat scolded lightly, "You could break your wrists or ankles so easily."

Azula sighed. "Ty Lee, I know my limits."

"Do you?" Ty Lee countered, making Azula sit up and remove her feet from Ty Lee's lap setting them soundly on the ground.

Her golden eyes bore heavily into grey ones. "You don't believe I do." The princess stated.

"It's not that." Ty Lee quickly denied. "I just don't want to see you hurt. Not again and not if I can help it."

The acrobat sighed deeply, her eyes casting to the ground. "Ty Lee." Azula called gently, lifting her only friend's chin so that they were looking at each other. "I do know my limits."

"But." The acrobat started, only to be stopped by a kiss.

It was a good way to shut the acrobat up, in Azula's opinion. It was also very pleasing but that was only an added bonus. The control Azula felt when that toned body melted into her hands by just one little kiss felt oh so good. Like clay to be molded into whatever she wanted. And despite the fact that she would never admit it that control was a defining factor in her recovering shattered ego.

Like an eager little kitten-owl Ty Lee was easily convinced to scoot towards Azula and into her lap, straddling her waist. Never once breaking the kiss as it deepened in passion. She loved the little things that Ty Lee would do in these sessions, little things she didn't know she would like so much. Like the way she'd have to move those deceptively soft hands to her shoulders when Ty Lee would try to touch what she wasn't supposed to. The way Ty Lee would slowly move the hands on Azula's shoulder to run through charcoal hair, messing up the topknot Azula spent a half hour to put up – but Azula could never make herself mind. The way she'd smile and moan and quiver when Azula curved her tongue in just the right way or kiss the sensitive spot behind her ear. And the way she'd instinctually grind her well formed hips against Azula's, making the princess move her hands to the acrobat's hips to stop her.

Just knowing that she was the one who had so much control over the acrobat, the one who was making her react in that way, and the only one who could (according to Ty Lee and Azula was just vain enough to believe it), was simply intoxicating. She'd never admit how good it felt to be wanted and loved so unconditionally by someone so pure and innocent like Ty Lee, her Ty Lee.

"Ah-hm." Azula barely caught the sound of someone coughing behind her. "Are we interrupting something?" Whoever it was asked.

The princess broke the kiss momentarily. "Yes. Go away." She said sternly – not bothering to turn around and see who it was, almost feeling the glare the person behind her directed to her.

"Um…Azula." Ty Lee whispered, her lips swollen and face flushed bright red and Azula couldn't help but want to kiss her again. "It's Zuko and Mai."

Azula sighed, turning slightly to see her brother and his wife, who was scowling while she held their young son covering his innocent eyes. Smirking as she looked at her brother, Azula pressed her hands on Ty Lee's hips as the acrobat tried to get up. "We need to talk." Zuko announced.

Rolling her eyes Azula let up on Ty Lee, though the acrobat decided not to move. "Don't we always." She mocked lightly, "Can't you see I'm busy. Come back in like…an hour." She turned to Ty Lee. "That's about long enough, right?"

Ty Lee giggled despite the situation, "Sounds about right." The acrobat whispered her breath ghosting over Azula's lips and making her shiver involuntarily.

"This can't wait." He said sternly and Azula sighed to cover her anger.

"What does it concern?" The princess asked.

"Your doctors…" He answered.

"Then it can wait." She interrupted, pressing a light kiss to Ty Lee's shoulder.

He growled, which made Azula smirk against the acrobat's skin – making Ty Lee shiver. "This cannot wait. You've ran off the best doctors in the whole world."

"Those were the best?" Ty Lee asked turning Azula's smirk into a smile and earning her a light kiss on her neck.

"Yes they were." He assured.

"Well they sucked." Ty Lee stated and Azula chuckled.

"She didn't even give them a chance before running them off."

"To be fair," The acrobat defended. "She only ran off the second one. The first one left of his own accord and the third one is buried out at the beach."

Azula glanced back at her brother and his consort to gauge their reactions to Ty Lee's statement, chuckling at their shocked expressions. "He left last week." Azula corrected. "He was in quite a hurry if I remember correctly. Especially after the ultimatum you gave him." She said, looking at Ty Lee with a smirk.

"Well, yeah." The acrobat answered, smiling wide and peaking Mai's interest.

Zuko sighed, running a hand through his long hair. "Look, I don't care what happened to him or any of the others. They all tell me the same thing. That you are dangerous and can't be helped…."

"But they all sucked." Ty Lee said again. "You can't believe a word they said. Maybe the first one but he left not even an hour after he met her. I don't even know why you sent the second one, all Azula had to do was say a few choice mean things and she ran away crying."

"And the third?" Mai inquired with a very slight smirk.

"Don't even get me started on that bastard." The acrobat cringed, making Mai chuckle at her best friend's uncharacteristic use of a curse word.

Zuko sighed again. "Look, alright fine. I'll disregard what those doctors said. But this is your last chance Azula. I managed to find one more Doctor who read all the reports from the other doctors and is still willing to take you as a patient."

"Is she water tribe?" Azula inquired.

The Fire Lord stood there with his mouth gaped open for a minute. "How did you know?"

Azula rolled her eyes "You seem to be going in a pattern. The first doctor was male and from the Earth Kingdom. The second was female and an Air Nomad, where you found one of those I have no idea. The third was male and from the Fire Nation. Logic would conclude that the next doctor will be female and from the water tribe."

"Well you're right." He said, slightly stunned for he didn't even know he was going in a pattern. "Doctor Une is currently in the room she will be staying in, the same one the last doctors were staying in, unpacking her things."

"You don't like her." Ty lee noted, seeing the color for dislike filter through his otherwise annoyed and tired aura when he mentioned the doctor's name.

"I didn't say that." He denied.

"But it's true." A smooth deep female voice, a voice that literally seemed to flow like water into the room – covering everything in a soothing calm – said from behind the royal couple.

Ty lee got up immediately, eager to meet the person whose voice was able to change the aura of everyone in the room by only saying three words – though it made Azula sigh at the missing weight. Standing in the doorway of the room, holding a bag full of something, was a rather tall thin woman. At least she seemed to be rather tall upon closer inspection she was probably no taller than Azula, who by her own right was slightly tall, maybe 5'7". She just had really long legs, it almost look unnatural – almost. Her outfit was simple, an aqua tunic covering baggy teal pants with a matching obi wrapped around her waist. Flush around her neck was a dark blue band sporting a red flame shaped gem with a character Ty Lee couldn't identify carved professionally into it, reminding the acrobat of Katara's necklace.

With a lifted eyebrow the woman flicked a thick light brown bundle of hair, held together by a thick band the same color as her outfit, behind her shoulder. Oddly enough as the sun hit her long hair the highlights weren't brown or gold but light teal; Ty Lee assumed it was the reflection of her clothes or something and didn't think too hard on it. "You must be Ty Lee." the new doctor said, extending her pale hand to the acrobat.

For a second Ty Lee only looked at the hand, wondering why it and its owner were so pale. No one in the water tribe that Ty Lee had ever met were as pale as this woman, hell no one in the whole world that she had ever seen was as pale as this woman. Her skin was white, whiter than snow even, Ty Lee would swear up and down that it was the palest of light blues and not white at all, and her hand was cold, despite the hot temperatures of the Fire Nation summer they were surrounded by. The acrobat did her best not be rude by pulling away to fast. The new doctor chuckled, her cerulean eyes sparkling – eyes that spoke volumes of knowledge as vast as the ocean itself and far beyond the maybe late twenties her appearance provided – as she pulled her hand away from the girl. "I am Une. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I don't mean to be rude or anything but you don't look like someone from the water tribe." The Acrobat noted, earning a chuckle from the woman again.

"Eastern water tribe." She answered simply, confusing the acrobat.

"The Eastern Water Tribe?" Ty Lee questioned, looking at Zuko for answers.

The Fire Lord only shrugged as Une passed by him, handing him the bag in her hands. "These aren't mine, do something with them."

"I like her already." Azula commented from her still seated position on couch, watching with a smirk as her brother fumed at being looked down on and told what to do. The pale woman approached the princess with an easy eye, looking her over. "I presume you are my new doctor, here to judge if I am mentally okay." She stated mockingly.

Une chuckled slightly, bringing one hand to her chin while the other wrapped around her waist. "You presume wrong." She stated simply. "I can tell just by looking into your eyes that you are of sound mind. My goal is to assimilate you to this new-aged world. It is my professionally opinion, however, that you harbor great…shall we say problems. You do seem to have a slightly low opinion of yourself." Zuko and Mai scoffed at the notion, and Une eyed them for a second. "And your brother seems to be so full of himself, it's slightly annoying." Azula couldn't help but chuckle as Zuko tried very hard to calm down, failing slightly. He opened his mouth to speak but Une cut him with a raised hand. "Please spare me the 'I'm Fire Lord and you will respect me' speech, boy. I couldn't care less of your status."

"I could tell you to leave." He threatened, fist balled tight – the bag of things having been handed off to a random guard. "You did just say that she was of 'sound mind'."

She seemed unfazed. "You could and I did say that. However, I also said that I was here to assimilate her to this time. Or did you plan to lock her up again once she was cured?" The unspoken fear in the princess' eyes, fear she tried desperately to hide, was enough to tell the doctor that she had hit the nail on the head with that statement.

Zuko grunted, rubbing a hand around his go-tee angrily. "No, that wasn't part of the deal."

"Good." Une replied with a mock pleasant smile. "Now that that's settled, I believe we should start hashing out your problems tomorrow, possibly some time in the afternoon. I do like to sleep in." She patted Azula on the head – which did annoy the princess – as she turned to leave the room. "I hope that you will be gone by then." She said to Zuko as pleasantly as naturally possible as she stopped beside him. "You clearly agitate her and I'd like to start our sessions without outside interference."

"What about Ty Lee?" Azula inquired. "Isn't she outside interference?"

"Do you wish her gone?" Une asked, looking straight at the acrobat's suddenly tense form as she spoke.

"No." Azula answered simply.

"Then she can stay." She smiled, placing a cold hand on Ty Lee's shoulder with a small genuine smile playing across her lips at the acrobat's goofy smile. "Congratulations." Une said walking out of the room and out of sight.

"I hate that woman." Zuko breathed lightly, still fuming.

"I like her." Azula countered as Ty Lee went back to sit next to her. "You should have sent her first."

Before he could say something childish, his wife slapped him on the arm lightly. "Ty Lee." Mai called, grabbing the acrobat's attention. "I'm interested to hear about Doctor Huang. Let's talk outside." She said, motioning with her head towards the door.

Ty Lee looked at Azula who was in a tense staring contest with her brother, shrugged and stood – following Mai out of the room.

The pair ended up in one of the many Sunrooms, sitting at the table that was in it. Ty Lee had animatedly gone into her tale of misadventure with the 'good' doctor and Mai had set and listened, chuckling every once in a while at something she found amusing and keeping a close eye on her six month old son as he played with the toys they had brought. "And I kissed her." Ty Lee finished; a slight tint of pink to her cheeks.

"And she returned it?" Mai asked, turning to read her friend's reaction.

Ty Lee shrugged slightly. "Not at first. It took her a minute before she kissed me back."

The Fire Lady was silent as she ran through the information she was given. She knew Azula, she knew how the princess thought, how manipulative she was. She also know how caring and forgiving Ty Lee was, how easy it was for Azula to manipulate her. There was no doubt in Mai's mind that Ty Lee truly – for reasons that were beyond her – loved Azula. The silly acrobat always had, even when they were far younger. But Azula…Mai wasn't sure if Azula knew how to love somebody or something for that matter. Honestly, she was surprised that Azula had forgiven Ty Lee for that whole betrayal thing during the war. "Are you sure she isn't just using you?"

"What would she gain by using me?" Ty Lee answered. "I can't give her anything but me."

Mai sighed. "Despite what you may believe you are a pretty strong ally. With her mind and the combination of her bending and your abilities you two would be unstoppable."

"She can't bend." Ty Lee interjected.

This caught Mai off guard. "What? But I thought you stopped Zuko from taking her bending."

The acrobat nodded. "I did." She agreed. "But her wrists and ankles are so messed up from those heavy chains that it hurts her to bend. She's been practicing but after an hour she can barely walk."

"That's very interesting." The Fire Lady stated, a mischievous twinkle in her dull golden eyes.

"You can't tell anyone I told you that." Ty Lee was quick to demand, placing her hands on Mai's knee. "She'd never forgive me."

Mai looked into the pleading grey eyes of her best friend and sighed. "Fine." Mai deadpanned.

"Thank you." The Fire Lady rolled her eyes as she leaned over and picked up her son, stopping him from crawling out of the room and placing him back near his toys, grabbing his attention by waving one of his toys in front of him. Ty Lee giggled, "He's getting so big." She said, happily – her voice getting his attention.

He giggled happily as Ty Lee wiggled her fingers at him, cooing softly and speaking like a baby. "He has and gets into everything now that he can crawl." Mai smiled as Ty Lee picked the little boy up, ruffling his short hair – the same shade as his father's. "Have you ever thought about having any of your own?"

Ty Lee made a thoughtful face. "Once." She admitted. "But then you had this one." She bounced Lu Ten on her knee. "And I saw how out of shape you got and how much pain you were in and I reconsidered, no offense."

Mai did laugh at that. "It's so worth it. You really don't know love until you have a child."

Ty Lee gaped, surprised that her friend had changed so much simply by having one child. She was actually talking about her emotions. As if she were worried, Ty Lee placed a hand on Mai's forehead, "Are you feeling okay?"

Without hesitation, Mai slapped the hand away, making Ty Lee laugh and Lu Ten giggle. "Whatever." Mai again reverted back to her deadpan tone. "Just be careful around Azula. You can't trust her."

"She's changed." Ty Lee argued. "Why can't anyone see that?"

Mai sighed. "Because we see her for what she really is. You are blinded by some misconception of love."

"It's not a misconception." Ty Lee exclaimed and Mai didn't respond – only looked at her knowingly. The acrobat rolled her eyes. "Believe what like." There was a pause between them. "So, Doctor Une?"

"Zuko dislikes her." The Fire Lady answered as if she were bored, taking her son from her best friend as he reached for her. "Passionately." She added.

"I noticed." The acrobat giggled. "Where's the Eastern Water Tribe?"

"We have no idea. I asked Katara and she only looked at me like I had three heads. Then she said something about a Water Tribe legend but she didn't know the details."

"Oh." Was all Ty Lee said. "Well, I guess we're just going to have to find out."

Mai nodded.

~Next day~

Azula set comfortably, annoyed but comfortably, in a red chair facing her new doctor. For the last half hour the two had only stared at each other. Cool cerulean meeting bright gold in a soundless battle. The princess sighed, her arms crossed around her waist and one of her legs crossed over the other. "Is this going anywhere any time soon?"

Une lifted a long cylinder item and tapped it onto a pad. Azula looked at the two things; she assumed that the pad of paper was a new invention – wondering why no one had thought about it before hand. The other thing she didn't have a clue what it is. "Depends on you, Azula. I am here to help you, but only if you want it. I'm fine sitting here doodling on my pad for the entire session. Unless of course you want to talk."

"About what?" Azula inquired, her eyebrow lifted though her eyes never left the cylinder object.

"Anything you feel like talking about, be it an event from your childhood or a problem from this morning. Anything is fine and nothing is off limits." Une informed.

Azula paused, thinking over what her new doctor was telling her. "And how much of what I tell you will reach my brother?"

Une smiled warmly. "I have a strict doctor-patient confidentially clause in my contract. This is half the reason why Zuko wanted nothing to do with me. I will only give him status reports, nothing you say to me will be repeated to him, unless you tell me otherwise."

The princess nodded, she liked that. "Can I ask questions?"

"Feel free." Une encouraged but Azula remained silent. "I understand that you've been locked up for quite some time. Things that would seem common knowledge to the rest of the population will be foreign to you. The world has changed in little ways and in big ones. For example this pen," Une said, moving the silver cylinder object in front of her. "You are probably use to brushes with ink stones. This cylinder object is a writing utensil with an ink cartridge built in. It last a good month, maybe more if you don't throw it against things. You never have to clean it out, wash it, or refill it. Well, there are some that can be refilled. This however is not one of those."

"Convenient." Azula noted.

"Yes, very." Une agreed.

"Can I ask you personal questions, about yourself?" The convalescent inquired as she leaned forward, intertwining her fingers.

Une thought for a second. "I suppose it's only fair."

The princess smirked and leaned back into her chair. "I've never hear of the Eastern Water Tribe. Did you make it up?"

The doctor smirked. "How do you know that it wasn't found while you were incarcerated?"

Azula scoffed. "My people have traveled all over this world. I would think someone would have stumbled upon it in the past 100 years."

Nodding, Une answered. "Good point. No, I did not make it up. The Eastern Water Tribe was the capital of the Water Nation nearly…well a very long time ago. It was a beautiful tropical isle in the shape of the modern day Water Tribe insignia. Legends say that during the War of the Gods…do you know of it? The war I mean?" Une inquired.

"Vaguely." Azula admitted.

"Not surprising. It's an old legend. But anyways, the island sank into the ocean and it's been there ever since. I come from that island, I rule that island." Azula's laughter was sudden, unrestrained and riddled with disbelief.

"Maybe you need to see a doctor." The princess commented, still laughing.

Une only smiled. "I don't expect you to believe me."

Azula stopped laughing, though a smile still tugged at her lips. "For argument's sake, let's say I believe you. Why would you leave the safety of your underwater city to come here?"

The doctor touched her choker and smiled fondly. "I was motivated."

The princess rolled her golden eyes. "You fell in love."

It was Une's turn to laugh. "Hardly. I'm above sea level to help an old friend."

With a lifted eyebrow and crossed arm, "Then why are you here, helping me?"

"Means to an end," Une answered nonchalantly with a shrug of her pale shoulders.

"Gee thanks." The princess deadpanned, causing Une to chuckle.

She tapped her pen on her pad again. "Now, Azula, just because what I said is the base truth does not mean that I care any less about your well being. I chose this job of my own free will. I believe I can help you."

"What do you expect of me?" Azula asked bluntly.

"I expect you to be honest with me and speak your mind. This is not a place where you will be persecuted for what you think or say. I will not tell anyone and I will not judge you." Une answered. Azula nodded, looking down at the floor, but again remained silent. "Expectations is a big thing for you. It's good to know what people expect."

There was no response from the princess for a long time. Une was about to call it a day when Azula looked up with a stern expression. "None of this leaves the room." She said, though it sounded more like a question. The doctor only nodded, choosing to remain silent. Casting her golden gaze back to the ground Azula started, "Most of my delusions, the ones that I remember, were about what people expected of me."

"People?" Une prompted.

"Everyone, the war generals, Mai, Ty Lee, Zuko, my mother…" she paused. "My father. I never knew exactly want they wanted from me. I still don't. I was the best I could be, better than anyone else. But it was never enough. They always wanted more." Une nodded, still silent. The princess sighed deeply. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Emotions are a weakness."

"Are they?" Une challenged.

"Yes." Azula answered simply and with such determination that Une dare not challenge it again, at least not yet.

The older woman sighed and smiled slightly. "Alright then." Seemingly out of nowhere the pale woman pulled out a single thin book, bound in red leather. "This is what I want you to do." She handed the book to her charge. Azula flipped through it, finding it to be a bunch of blank pages. "This, if you haven't noticed, is a diary. It's yours. You can put anything in it. Anything at all. All I ask is that you try to write in it at least once a day. When you write don't think about what you are writing just write, no one will read it but you. And you don't even have to read it if you don't want to."

"That's it?" Azula inquired. "You want me to write in a dairy."

"Yes. It helps I promise." Une answered. "Also, I'd like you to think about one thing." The princess gave her doctor a look telling her to go on. "Who is the strongest person you know?"

"Physically?" The convalescent queried.

"I meant in every aspect, not just physically. And I want you to think about it. Don't answer now."

Azula nodded again somewhat liking the feel of the book in her hand. "Can I have that pen?" She asked, wondering why she was even asking and not just taking it from the doctor.

If she thought hard enough she would realize that Une did not seem the type to be ordered around. Especially with the way she talked to Zuko. And she held herself so confidently, as if there were no one better than her – no one worse either if Azula considered the way Une was talking to her. If she factored in that she knew nothing about this woman or the abilities she did or did not have and the fact that her own abilities where…lacking she would realize that she had no chance against her. It was a good thing she didn't think too hard on it. Otherwise she would be depressing herself.

Une easily handed over her pen and stood. "Have fun." She replied with a smile, before adding. "If you need anything, regardless of the time, you know where to find me."

"Anytime?"

"Anytime." Une confirmed. "Unless something comes up, how does the day after tomorrow sound for our next session?"

Azula paused in surprise, the only doctor that stayed insisted that they met every day and didn't ask her if it was okay, he just assumed it was. But he was a bastard so she ignored it and assumed that what Une was doing was the right way. "It sounds fine. I'll see you then."

"Good. I'll see you then." The doctor replied, walking out of the room and leaving Azula to herself.

~x~

It was bright outside, the morning sun shining brightly over the endless waves of the ocean in the distance. The princess set on the short porch, her feet barely touching the ground, overlooking the only garden on the grounds. Her dairy lay opened to the first blank page, the first page, on her lap and the pen in her hands. The plan was to sit in a comfortable quiet place and try to write anything in it. The first time she had tried last night had ended with the book on the other side of the room. Unfortunately for her Une was still prowling the halls of the mansion. The pale woman had walked into room following the noise and saw Azula sitting with her arms crossed and a scowl on her pretty face as she glared at the offending book.

Her chuckle was the thing that brought Azula's attention to her. Une walked over and carefully picked up the book. "I told you not to think too hard on what to write in it. Just relax." The doctor suggested, handing the book back to its owner and walking out of the room.

So that's why Azula was sitting in a place where she could calm down and relax. Of course with Ty Lee doing cartwheels and back flips and all kinds of acrobatics her concentration on the book was the last thing she could think of. Every once in a while she would look down at the blank page and sigh but then look back up at whatever Ty Lee was doing and smile. "Azula!" Ty Lee called happily and plopped down beside the princess. "What'cha doin?"

The princess looked down at the blank page in her lap, taping the pen on the page. "Trying to write in this thing."

Ty Lee lifted an eyebrow, making a confused face. Her eyes widened with realization. "Is it an assignment or something?"

Azula nodded. "Yes, Une wants me to write in this thing at least once a day."

"Oh, did she say what she wanted you to write in it?"

The princess shook her head in the negative. "She said I could write whatever I wanted into it." The acrobat nodded. "That's the problem; I have no idea what to write in it."

"Write about the garden." Ty Lee suggested.

"The garden?" Azula deadpanned.

"Yeah!" Ty Lee exclaimed. "You could write about how pretty is it and how the sunshine feels against your skin."

The princess remained silent, watching the young woman beside her smile and talk animatedly. She really missed Ty Lee, though she would never admit that to anyone. But she really did miss her. The realization surprised Azula, she didn't even miss her father – which she thought was odd considering how much she loved him. She stopped, looked down at the paper as her pen moved with her thought process, as she mentally corrected herself – on the paper and in her mind. She never loved her father; looked up to him yes. Admired him, yes. But loved him, no. she tried to think back to one person she may have loved and no one came to mind. Except maybe…

"Ty Lee." Azula addressed, pulling the acrobat's attention away from the butterflies that flew around the garden.

"Yeah?" she asked with a smile.

"Who is the strongest person you know?"

Ty Lee gave her princess a look that clearly stated 'isn't it obvious?' before smiling brightly and answering, "You are."

Azula nodded, a half smile on her face. With that one sentence she knew who she thought was the strongest person she knew. "Thank you." She said, catching Ty Lee by surprise.

She had never thanked anyone before, so the words were foreign to Ty Lee but she appreciated them all the same. "For what?" she asked.

The princess smiled, truly smiled, as she leaned forward, kissing Ty Lee's cheek and whispering, "For everything."

TBC

A/N: I don't know what it is about this story but I can't seem to get into writing it, which is weird considering I already know how it ends and some of the things I want to happen in it. I don't know it's weird. :P

Anyways I hope you enjoyed it! Don't mind if Azula seems a little OOC. I'm sure that everyone wouldn't seem like themselves after a mental breakdown.


	3. Chapter 3

Ember Island

Chapter 3

"_It can help you understand yourselves…"_

Azula set out at the beach, the sun bathing her body in its glow. Ty Lee had fallen asleep on the towel beside hers some time ago. Even though it appeared as if they were alone, they weren't – Azula could feel the ever present guards watching them. They weren't in the line of her sight but that didn't matter, they were still there. Before when she was younger there were guards everywhere and they never seemed to bother her. These guards did, and for once she would like to have a little privacy. She wasn't really sure why she wanted that, she just did and she was use to getting what she wanted. Though she guessed this would be something she would not get.

With a sigh, she looked out into the water. Une had run off towards it, a homemade spear in hand, like a kid in a candy store the instant they got there and hadn't been seen since. Azula wasn't worried, and neither was Ty Lee considering she was sleeping. She had been going to her sessions with Une for about two months now and she didn't feel much better. Of course she didn't think there was anything really wrong with her either. In one of the sessions she had informed her doctor about how useless she found these sessions and that she didn't feel any different. The doctor had looked at her for a beat, her cerulean eyes bearing into her like an iron so hot it felt cold. The words that left her mouth had surprised Azula. "That's because we don't talk about anything personal to you. I let you lead these sessions, because I want to hear about what you want to talk about. If you want to be a better person we'd have to dissolve your entire personality, find the root of all your problems and dissect them."

"How long would that take?" Azula answered.

"It could take years." Une answered honestly. "Is that what you want to do?"

The princess hesitated and sighed. She promised not to lie to her doctor, even though giving her word never stopped her from breaking her promises. "Look, I know I have flaws, more than most. And I don't care what other people think about me. I'll always be that cruel calculating woman that everyone knows me to be. When I walk by, even though the guards know I can't bend very well, if I just look at them I can make them cower. Nothing will change that."

Une nodded, pressing her fingers together. "But that's not all you have to be." She said simply.

"Elaborate." Azula demanded.

The doctor paused. "It's true, that most see you as that young woman, the one who strikes fear in the hearts of her enemies and her allies. Hell, even your own brother and uncle feel this way about you. You are a dangerous person, no one denies that. There are a few who see you as an icon, a hero of the Fire Nation…"

Azula waved the comment off, setting back in her seat. "Those are people who don't know me, who've never seen me except in demonstrations and celebrations."

"You misunderstand." Une replied, "I wasn't clear and I'm sorry of that. Those people see you as the same person your brother sees you as, but they adore you because of what you stand for. And though they do, you are still a war monger. But there is one who sees the person you could be. Who can see the compassion you hide so well, the person you are deep down inside that you try to hide behind barriers of dark sarcasm, control, and hatred."

"Who?" Azula demanded, though she had a fairly good idea who she was talking about, but she had to be sure.

Une wasn't forthcoming with the name and continued as though Azula hadn't spoken at all. "You could be that person for her, if no one else. But that's only if you want to."

The princess set back in her seat, thinking over what Une had said. "Okay." Azula finally agreed, sure that she could change for the one person who saw her for what she could be and accepted her for what she was.

That had been a week ago. She had only been through two sessions since then. The first had started out with her earliest memories. Most of those were happier memories, even though she still beat up on her older though he did the same to her as well – just not as well. They stopped the session when Azula turned five and that's where they started off on the second session. Unlike the first session where Une barely said three words the second was riddled with questions.

Azula started her Firebending training when she was five and it was hard and rigorous. Une had inquired if she enjoyed it. The princess hesitated, almost answering automatically that she didn't mind it. Instead she confessed that she didn't mind most of it; when she was forced to train for hours, skipping meals and going to sleep in the wee hours of the morning only to get up a few hours later was something she could have lived without. Une nodded and then asked, "Why did you do it, then?"

"I didn't have a choice." Azula answered.

"I believe you think that and I know that some habits are hard to quit, but when you got older and were training by yourself why did you continue this routine?" The convalescent hesitated, unable to come up with a good reason why she continued. Une smiled. "You think about it and let me know what you come up with next session."

And that's what she had been thinking about for the past day and right now. Her mind wondered to that question. She was sure she knew the answer, it had taken her a lot of writing in her diary to finally come up with it. "Rise and shine princess." Was the only warning she got before a gallon of water was poured on her.

"What the fuck!" Azula yelled, sitting up quickly and growling at her doctor, who stood there with a slight smirk on her face. "I wasn't sleeping!"

"No," Une answered picking up the spear from its place protruding from the ground and pulled a net that held a fish at least ten feet long. "But your girlfriend is. Wake her up or turn her over, she's going to have severe sunburn if you don't."

"She's not my girlfriend." Azula denied quickly. "And what the hell are you doing with that fish?"

"I suppose that's why you make out with her as often as you do. We should probably talk about this odd form of denial you're under. You could have a problem with commitment. And I'm going to cook it, Eastern Water Tribe style."

"I don't have commitment problems. I am a very committed person." Azula argued.

"True." Une agreed. "But you are not committed with people, like her for example. You have no problem making out with her but you don't have the nerve to call her your girlfriend. Notably, I don't believe you've had any experience with that form of commitment. We'll talk about this later if you want. I'm going to cook this. Now wake her up or turn her over."

Before Azula could even respond Une walked off, dragging the fish like it didn't weigh a hundred pounds. She really hated that that woman could make her speechless so easily. "Ty Lee." Azula called lightly. The acrobat groaned but didn't wake, making Azula growl. "Ty Lee!" Again the acrobat did not stir. Azula sighed and crawled over to the younger woman, placing a hand on Ty Lee's shoulder, "Ty Lee." She whispered in the acrobat's ear, shaking her lightly. "Come on Ty, wake up." The acrobat mumbled and smiled. "Ty Lee, baby,"

The acrobat smiled wider, giggling as she opened her eyes slightly. "I really like it when you call me that," She admitted as she stretched. "Did you need something?"

"No." Azula answered, lying back on the towel. "Une informed me that you needed to turn over or you'll have severe sun burn."

"Oh." Ty Lee stated, "So she came back?" The acrobat asked as she turned over onto her stomach, reaching back to untie the laces of her bikini – keenly aware of her princess' eyes on her as she was doing so.

"Yes." Azula answered. "She managed to somehow catch a huge fish and is now cooking it."

"Huge how?" Ty Lee asked, laying her head in her crossed arms.

Azula paused for a moment. "About ten feet, I guess."

"Wow!" Ty Lee remarked, clearly impressed. "And she only had a spear."

"It appeared that way." Azula remarked, closing her eyes and soaking in the rays of the sun.

"So, she's cooking dinner tonight. That's good." There was silence for a while and it seemed that the acrobat had fallen back to sleep. "Did you ever find out where the Eastern Water Tribe is?"

"She made it up." Azula lied, because the truth would have sounded crazy.

"Are you lying to me?" Ty Lee sing-songed, catching the princess off guard slightly.

When Azula didn't answer Ty Lee stood, quickly tying her top back on. "Where are you going?" The princess inquired, standing when Ty Lee only giggled. "Ty Lee." she warned.

"I'm going to ask the source." Ty Lee called in a giggle, grabbing her towel and running off towards the mansion.

Azula followed quickly after, leaving her towel at the beach – the guards or someone would get it. Ty Lee crashed into the kitchen all smiles with Azula following closely after her. "Une!" The acrobat called, only slightly out of breath as she propped herself against the counter.

"Ty Lee." the doctor remarked, pulling the spine out of the fish and disposing of it.

"That was gross." Ty Lee replied, temporally distracted as the older woman pulled the ribs and other large bones out of the fish.

Une laughed, "You've never cooked a fish before have you?"

"I have." Ty Lee argued, indignant.

"Really. Then I suppose you didn't cook it properly." Une noted and Ty Lee turned to Azula.

"It was okay." Azula answered, only slightly lying.

They were nomadic in the Earth Kingdom, Azula didn't except anything great from her acrobatic friend. In fact she was surprised that Ty Lee even knew how to cook. "Azula," Ty Lee whined playfully, getting Azula and Une to chuckle.

The princess chose to ignore the acrobat. "I'm surprised that you know how to cook."

Une actually stopped everything she was doing to look at Azula as if she had two heads. "Why does that surprise you?"

The princess shrugged. "I just assumed that since you said you were the ruler of the Eastern Water Tribe that you would have all the perks that go with that status. Agni knows I can't cook."

The princess shrugged. "I just assumed that since you said you were the ruler of the Eastern Water Tribe that you would have all the perks that go with that status. Agni knows I can't cook."

"You're the ruler of the Eastern Water tribe?" Ty Lee inquired.

Une continued her task, taking a knife and cutting the large fish into smaller pieces. She smiled at the acrobat. "I am." Une agreed. "And it's a tradition to know how to cook fish in my tribe, Azula."

"Where is your tribe?" Ty Lee asked, leaning against the counter but making sure to keep away from the mess of the fish.

"Didn't Azula tell you?" Une asked, taking a slab of fish and rubbing a bunch of seasoning into it that neither recognized, before tossing it over her shoulder into a pan on the stove.

"She said you made it up." The acrobat answered with a smile, amazed at the precision the doctor had.

Une looked over to Azula who didn't so much as flinch, then back to Ty Lee. "Well, that's probably because if she told you she would have sounded crazy."

"Oh, then I don't want to know." Ty Lee remarked. "So, weren't you guys suppose to have a session today? It's every other day right?"

The doctor looked at Azula then back at her fish. "We decided to change it to tomorrow." The pale woman answered.

"Why?" Ty Lee inquired.

Une remained silent. "She can't tell you." Azula remarked. "She has a very strict doctor-patient confidentiality clause."

"Ooh, I bet Zuko doesn't like that." Ty Lee smiled, resting her head in the palms of her hand. Une smiled and nodded. The acrobat turned to her princess. "Since she can't tell me, can you?"

Azula sighed. "It's none of your concern."

Ty Lee pouted and Azula effectively ignored her. Une watched the exchange passively, shaking her head. Her patient and Ty Lee couldn't have been more different. But that difference was exactly what Azula needed.

~x~

The moon was high when everything had settled down. Une set at the bay windows and though her back was facing the windows she could feel the moon's full force. The doctor watched Azula and Ty Lee. The acrobat had fallen asleep almost instantly after eating, continuing to compliment the meal even in her sleep. Her head rest comfortably in Azula's lap, with the princess' hand running through her unbound hair. Une was actually surprised at how long her hair was. She was sure Azula didn't know it, but there was a soft smile on the princess' face, a smile that would widen every time the younger woman would mumble.

"Azula," Une called, the smile on the younger woman's face instantly vanishing, as Une moved to the armchair beside the couch the princess set in. "I know we agreed that we'd continue our session tomorrow but I get the impression that you know the answer to the question I asked."

Azula nodded, her hand running through brown hair. She sighed heavily before answering, "I had to." she said simply, earning a lifted eyebrow from her doctor, "I know that's not the answer you wanted to hear. But it's true. I had to. I had to be the best; I had to be better than anyone else."

"Why?" Une asked, honestly wanting to know.

Again, Azula sighed, checking to make sure Ty Lee was really asleep. "I was lead to believe that if I wasn't the best I wouldn't be wanted or..."

"Or?" Une prompted but Azula remained silent. Her golden eyes met cerulean, portraying what she refused to say with words. Une chuckled, "It's alright. As long as you know. If you don't mind, though, what lead you to believe that if you failed you wouldn't be wanted or loved?"

Azula actually chuckled. "My mother never loved me; she thought I was monster. All I had was my father and he made it very clear what he thought of my brother for being a failure. Why wouldn't that apply to me if he thought I was a failure? So I had to be the best, I had to meet all of his expectations because if I failed I didn't have a mother to cry to. All I would get if I failed were harsh words and severe punishment."

Une nodded and sighed. "I'm not suppose to tell you this, you're suppose to find out for yourself but you know that that's not true, right?"

"Which part?" Azula nearly chuckled. "Are you going to tell me that I could have gone to my mother, that she probably actually loved me?"

The doctor smiled, touching the tips of her fingers together. "Not at all." Une announced. "I don't know your mother. She may have thought that about you. But you have to know that you are not a monster. You haven't seen a monster if you think you are one. You are difficult and cunning and tend to see most people as more of pawns than actual people but that does not make you a monster."

"People would argue that point." Azula pointed out.

"I'm sure they would." Une said but Azula continued.

"I've killed a lot of people."

"Have you?" Une countered. "You were a part of that war for only a short while and while the things you did were amazing, you only killed one person and he's still around today."

"Yes but…"

"When you took over Ba Sing Se how many people died?" Azula didn't answer. "None, it was a bloodless coup. More people died in every pervious attempt that was made on Ba Sing Se. And when you fought the Kyoshi warriors did any of them die? No."

Azula rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter how you say it, I will still be a monster."

"I see, would you burn down an orphanage full of your countryman to strike fear in your enemy?"

Azula hesitated, even to her that sounded pointless and a waste of potential soldiers. "No, that would be a waste."

"A true monster would not hesitate to do anything that would make themselves look better. All they care about it the betterment of their person, their station, their power and nothing else – like your father." Azula was about to protest the defacement of her father but Une stopped her. "I have read Ozai's file. He is a monster and I will admit that you were well on your way to being just like him. But something happened to change that course."

"What?" Azula asked then rolled her eyes when Une refused to answer. "Just tell me."

The doctor sighed, "You were betrayed by the one constant in your life, the one person who defied everything you had ever been taught about people, and instead of accepting it and withdrawing into yourself to become a cold and heartless person you broke." Azula froze, looking down at the sleeping brunette, who mumbled happily. "Honestly, given your personality, I'm surprised you've forgiven her."

"I…I don't know that I have."

TBC.

A/N: Sorry for the shorter chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Ember Island

Chapter 4

"…_And each other." _

Ty Lee wondered through the mansion searching for the one thing she couldn't seem to find: Azula. As of late, Ty Lee had seen less and less of the princess, it was like Azula was avoiding her. When she did manage to find her, be it during meals or a chance passing in the halls, she'd ask how she was and little pleasantries like that. Azula would answer with simple one word sentences and walk away; leaving Ty Lee confused and slightly hurt. The acrobat asked, several times, if she had done something to upset the princess. But Azula wouldn't answer and continue to pull away. It had been this way for weeks and Ty Lee was getting tired of this game. Something had to change. So, when her rounds of the mansion concluded she went into the kitchen, finding Une tossing a large salad. "Une," Ty Lee called lightly, as she approached the pale woman.

"Ty Lee." Une addressed back, not looking up from her work.

"You're always in the kitchen." She stated, getting distracted momentarily.

Une chuckled and answered simply, "I like to cook." Ty Lee nodded; she liked Une's cooking too. "Is there a reason you're here Ty Lee?"

Again the acrobat nodded and sighed heavily. "Yeah, have you seen Azula? I've looked everywhere."

The doctor hesitated as she thought. "Last I saw her she went outside." She answered vaguely, aware that Ty Lee had not looked there.

"Oh, thanks." The younger woman said but remained standing in the kitchen, swirling invisible circles on the hard wood counter.

Une eyed her for a second, as she continued to add things to the salad. "Trouble in paradise?" The pale woman noted, taking the heavy sigh from her company as a yes.

"She's been avoiding me and I can't for the life of me figure out why."

Une nodded. "Azula is on the beach, she's been sitting there for a while. Go talk to her and ignore anything she says that may push you away. She's been confused lately." Ty Lee stood in her place, registering what Une was saying. "Go." Une prompted, moving her hand in a shooing motion before Ty Lee could inquire any further.

"Alright, alright." Ty Lee replied with another heavy sigh as she moved to the door.

Her trek to the beach was slow as she thought about what she was going to say or do. Just like Une said Azula was sitting on the beach, where the sand met the grass. Idly the princess picked up a piece of yellow grass, plucking it from the ground. Ty Lee stayed on the path away from the princess, unsure if she should intrude on Azula's alone time, as she watched Azula, the sun casting her in hues of red and gold. "Ty Lee." Azula addressed, making the decision for her. "I know you're there."

Slowly, Ty Lee walked to the princess – careful of the slight dry sand dunes – sitting down beside her but not close enough to actually be touching her. "Hi." She started meekly.

"Hey." Azula answered back, her golden eyes never once looking at the acrobat.

The rustle of the wind through the grass and the waves crashing on the shore were the only sounds for the longest of times. It felt like an eternity to the acrobat. "Azula," Ty Lee intoned, touching the princess' arm lightly, pleased that Azula did not pull away. "Please, talk to me. Tell me what happened. What did I do?"

Azula turned to Ty Lee, her expression neutral but her aura clouded with doubt and confusion. "You betrayed me, Ty Lee. Why should I trust you? How do I know that you won't betray me again?"

Ty Lee was silent, gaining her bearings. She had hoped this conversation would never come up. "I wouldn't…"

"How do I know that? What proof can you give me?"

With smoky eyes cast to the ground Ty Lee sighed. "I don't know, aside from me just saying I won't." Those smoky eyes looked up into golden ones, the honesty in them almost making Azula believe. "But actions speak louder than words and I don't know what I can do to make you believe me."

Azula sighed, reminding herself that she was suppose to be angry with Ty Lee, though the acrobat was making it a difficult task to do. "Just tell me why you attack me."

Again Ty Lee sighed. That very question had haunted ever since she had done it. The guilt she felt only amplifying when she heard what happened to Azula after the war. She was pretty sure that she was the only one who was truly aware of the damage her actions caused. And couldn't help but think that if she were only closer to Mai none of it would have happened. "I just reacted. I could see in your aura that you didn't want to kill Mai, even though I'm pretty sure you would have, so I took the choice from you."

"Why? If you hadn't…"

"You remember when we were little in school and the teacher asked us what kind of person we wanted to be when we grew up?" Ty Lee interrupted.

Azula frowned at being interrupted but answered, "Yes. You said you wanted to be butterfly."

Ty Lee chuckled. "A pretty pink butterfly." She corrected. "And you didn't answer. But later when I asked you again you said that you wanted to be Fire Lord and the person you described was nowhere close to what you would have become if you had killed Mai."

"You don't know that and those were childish dreams Ty Lee."

The acrobat turned her gaze to the ocean and the setting sun. "Yes I do. And even if they were childish dreams that doesn't mean that somewhere deep down you still wanted to be that person."

The princess was silent, hating the fact that Ty Lee knew her so well and hating that she couldn't find it in herself to remain angry with her. As much as she loathed to admit it she depended on Ty Lee a great deal. After years of being bound in chains and the nearly endless delusions Ty Lee was her only constant, the only thing that never changed. The only one who never gave up on her, who was always there even if Azula couldn't remember most of it. Even when she was growing up Ty Lee was the one she would tell everything to, all her hopes and dreams – however vague and childish they may have been. It was always Ty Lee, the one person who knew her better than anyone else. Azula sighed, "You said you joined to Kyoshi warriors after that war."

"I did." Ty Lee smiled, happy for the change of subject but cautious of the subject topic.

"Did they trust you, given everything?" Azula inquired, picking up another piece of grass and twiddling it between her fingers, watching it slowly burn to ash.

Ty Lee nodded, leaning forward so that her chin was resting on her knees. "Yeah, well most of them. Suki and I became really close and the ones I was locked up with liked me a lot."

"So you were happy there?" the princess asked, turning her gaze to the blood soaked ocean – the sun just touching the surface of the waves.

"I guess." Ty Lee answered honestly. "It was different from the Fire Nation, greener, colder. And honestly that heavy white makeup was not good for my complexion."

"But you still wore it." Azula pointed out, with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, after a while you got use to things like the weather and the makeup. I had a good time with them and learned a lot of new things. Like that pickpocket trick." She chuckled. "That was actually one of the first things I learned."

"Why didn't you stay with them, if you loved it so much?" Azula inquired defensively.

The acrobat hesitated, glancing at Azula's profile and debating if she should tell the whole truth. She looked back at the water, picking her words carefully. "It wasn't the same. I did love it and I still do. But it was a request from the Fire Lord…"

"Zuko requested you to help me?"

Ty Lee nodded. "He said that you responded to Mai and that you might respond to me better. We were always pretty close growing up." The acrobat bumped shoulders with the princess, but Azula didn't respond. This knowledge hurt her more than she cared to admit and she was finding it much easier to be angry with the girl beside her. Ty Lee caught on quickly, watching her princess' aura fluctuate and realized she had said something to hurt Azula. So, with tact she wasn't use to showing she chuckled and said, "Of course, everyone told me not to come. When Suki found out we got into a pretty big fight. She didn't understand why I was leaving so soon."

This confused the princess, "What?"

"As soon as I got the request I left. Nobody knew about you, you know. Zuko kept it pretty under wraps. A few rumors would leak but nothing substantial. When I found out what had really happened I left as soon as I could."

Ty Lee glanced at Azula's aura, seeing it calm to a smooth blue and smiled to herself. "And the fight with whats-her-name?" Azula asked, so she could make an informed decision on whether or not she could trust this woman beside her. Azula expected Ty Lee to giggle and recount a little girly squabble. If nothing else she figured she would get a few laughs out of this. Instead, the acrobat groaned lightly, hitting her head on her knee lightly. "Tell me the truth Ty Lee."

Grey eyes looked at Azula, the grim look telling the convalescent that she didn't want to recount this tale. "Do I have to?" Ty Lee whined.

"Yes." Azula said unwavering in her demand.

Ty Lee sighed.

~flashback~

The sun shone brightly through the cloudless sky, the cool air crisp and slightly chilly, but a perfect day to sleep in, especially since she didn't have any sessions till around lunch. At least, that's what she wanted to think as she pulled the stiff covers over her head and turned on her side, trying to find a comfortable position on her hard bedding. It was times like this she wished she was home with her silk pillows and covers and soft fluffy bed. When sleep was not forthcoming she simply lay on her bed, listening to the sounds of the early morning. Most everyone in the small village was already awake and moving around, their day started far earlier. But not her, not that that was unusual, she liked to sleep in. "Ty Lee." she heard the familiar voice of her captain call her to the waking world and felt the gloved hands shake her shoulders when she didn't respond. "Damn it Ty Lee, wake up." The acrobat didn't move. "You got a letter from Zuko."

The sound of a rolled up scroll waving in the air snapped the acrobat from her dazed state. Suki chuckled when the letter was suddenly not in her hand anymore and her newest warrior was sitting up in her bunk, her long hair shooting in all directions even though it was still braided. Ty Lee broke the official seal of the Fire Lord without a second thought and read through the slow deliberate script quickly. Her gasp drew Suki's attention to her. "What does it say?"

Without answering Ty Lee threw the covers to the side, setting her bare feet onto the cold ground and didn't complain like she usually did. "I have to go back home." She answered, pulling a small bag from under her mattress and stuffing her few things in it.

"Why? Ty Lee, answer me!" Suki demanded.

"She needs me." Ty Lee answered, handing the parchment to her captain.

Suki read the letter carefully, reading it a second time just to make sure she understood what was going on. "Ty Lee, you can't be serious! This is Azula we're talking about. It sounds like she got what she deserved."

Ty Lee ground her teeth together to stop herself from saying something harsh. She looked at her captain, reminding herself that she didn't know what Azula was really like. "That's not nice. No one deserves that." She pulled on the dark green kimono of her uniform, too much in a rush to realize that she was putting on her Kyoshi uniform.

"Ty Lee, come on, think this through." Suki tried to argue. "Look, I'm sure if we band together we can convince Zuko that you don't need to be there. Azula's his problem not yours."

"You're wrong and I'm going." Ty Lee remarked finally.

"This is a mistake." Suki admitted.

"You don't know that." Ty Lee argued.

Suki rolled her eyes, annoyed and surprised that Ty Lee was being so stubborn and unrelenting about this. "How could it be anything but? It's not like things have changed, she's not any different. You'll only get hurt." The Kyoshi Warrior remarked, truly worried for her friend, she knew how the acrobat felt about the former princess – it was pretty damn obvious. When Ty Lee still continued to pack, the only boat to the Fire Nation leaving in a few hours, she tried a different route. "She's a monster Ty Lee. That hasn't changed."

"Don't say that." Ty Lee growled, the sudden anger from the usually happy girl surprising Suki into silence. "She's not a monster. You weren't there when she was growing up. You didn't see the things I saw. You don't know her!"

"She locked you up." Suki yelled.

"But she didn't have me beaten." Ty Lee offered, her anger dying as she failed to suppress her tears. "All she did was have me locked away and given what I did it could have been much worse, it should have been much worse. I should have died from the lashes I should have received for attacking a member of the royal family. But I didn't. I was even allowed to join the main population only after a short while."

"Ty Lee…" the warrior whispered, she didn't know that. She touched a gloved hand to her forehead and sighed, "Alright. Okay. I can see there's no stopping you. Just…" Suki exhaled heavily. "Just promise me that if things get to bad you'll leave. She's not the person you remember. And you're always welcome here."

Ty Lee smiled at her captain, so glad that the argument was over and that she understood as best she could. "Thank you." She said, embracing the older woman.

~End Flashback~

"And that's what happened? You came racing back to me." Azula noted, a bit amused.

Ty Lee smiled at Azula's pleased aura. "More or less. And once I saw that pathetic excuse of a cell you were in I went to Zuko and demanded to have you put in a better one."

"I vaguely remember that." Azula admitted. "The moving to a new cell, I mean."

The acrobat nodded. "You were pretty lucid that day. Well, more lucid than you had been the first couple of weeks I was with you."

"But she was right you know. I am a monster."

Ty Lee frowned and shook her head. "You've said that before. You have to know that's not true. I don't believe it and you shouldn't either. If you do then you should talk to Une about it."

The princess chuckled, easily relenting seeing as Une said the same thing. Two versus one or whatever. "You're right, of course."

"I know." Ty Lee agreed happily.

Azula sighed. She understood why Ty Lee had stayed with her while she was less than lucid but she didn't get why she was still here. Not that she wanted Ty Lee to go anywhere, but she would like to know what kept the woman there. "What do you want from me, Ty Lee?"

Without even batting an eye the former Kyoshi Warrior answered, "I want you to be happy. No one deserves that more than you."

"And if I told you that you leaving would make me happy?" Azula tried, having no intention of making the only person who mattered in her life leave but still wanting to know what she'd say.

"I would leave." Ty Lee admitted. "I would hate it but I would leave."

Again Azula shook her head. "I just don't understand you."

Ty Lee smiled. "I'm not that hard to understand. It's simple really when you take into account that I…I love you."

The confession stunned the princess and she only stared at Ty Lee for a good long time before finally saying, "What?"

Ty Lee blushed, keeping her eyes on the ground as she repeated her confession – oh so glad she could read auras. Otherwise she might think the worst in this situation. "I love you." She said, more confident than before but still barely above a whisper.

Azula leaned towards her friend, forcing Ty Lee to look at her. "Say it again." She demanded, their breathe mingling.

"I love you." Ty Lee repeated, grey eyes half lidded as Azula moved closer with each syllable.

The kiss was simple, a light peck on the lips that lasted only a half-second longer than usual, but it was sensual and gentle, saying all the things Azula would probably never say out loud; I trust you, I forgive you, I love you. Ty Lee couldn't help but shudder at the simple kiss, feeling the electricity wrap like barbed wire all through her body and couldn't stop the tears that leaked from her smoky eyes. She had only dreamed that she would be forgiven so easily. A hand warmer than any the acrobat had ever known brushed the tears away, fingertips lingering to caress the soft flesh lightly. One look into those molten gold eyes and all of her fears and inhibitions melted away.

She wasn't sure why this scenario was any different from the others but when the acrobat pulled the princess into a more involved kiss, finding her way into Azula's lap, and running her hands under the edge of the red tunic – lightly touching bare skin – Azula did not stop her. Instead, the princess' hands pressed flat against Ty Lee's bare stomach, the toned muscles tensing under her warm touch, and moved up over ribs – stopping at the edge of pink fabric. She only hesitated for a moment before deftly continuing her trek. When those warm hands gently palmed a pair of soft flesh Ty Lee moaned but pulled back slightly – her hands coming to grasp Azula's wrists but not pulling them from under her shirt. "Azula, wait." She protested weakly, suppressing another moan as Azula disobeyed her and kneaded the other woman's plump breast. "Azula." She drawled, unable to stop her back from arching into the princess, the action bringing a smirk to Azula's lips. "Are you su…"

In an instant Ty Lee was on her back, Azula looming over her – the smirk still firmly tugging on her lips. "You talk too much." Azula answered as she withdrew one hand and proceeded to burn a line down the middle of the top, pushing it apart to reveal a chest sculpted by the gods.

"That was my favorite top." Ty Lee whined lightly, not really caring as that same hand ran a trail down her stomach to her pants, igniting the nerves under the smooth flesh.

The smirk widened as the princess leaned down and captured the acrobat's lips in a searing kiss, distracting her as the pants soon joined the top. "Hush." Azula demanded lightly, her lips and tongue assaulting the pulsing vein in her neck making her moan again.

"Azula wait." Ty Lee protested again, pushing lightly against Azula's shoulders and making her growl.

"What?" She snapped, even though she was very pleased with the dark mark she left on Ty Lee's neck.

The acrobat whimpered lightly as the cooling air hit her hot very naked body. "You're wearing too much." She stated simply, noticing that Azula was still very clothed.

With a lifted amused eyebrow the princess easily tore her clothing from her body, the dying sun casting her pale skin in tones of red and gold. "Better?" She inquired though she didn't expect an answer from her lover seeing as the acrobat seemed to be in some sort of awed shock.

It wasn't like it was the first time Ty Lee had seen Azula without clothing on but by the look on Ty Lee's face one would not have been able to tell. The princess only chuckled; feeling invigorated and empowered by her companion's expression. She enjoyed the whimper the acrobat produced when she returned to her original position, hot porcelain skin flush against warm peach. Grey eyes looked up into golden ones, telling her silently how much she wanted this. Azula smiled, leaning down to the mark on Ty Lee's neck and nipped it lightly, making Ty Lee wince. "No more stopping." Azula demanded and Ty Lee only nodded, her hands finding a temporary place on Azula's bare hips – barely able to believe that this was actually happening. "Good."

TBC

A/N: Yes, I know, I'm evil. Mwahahaha *cough*.

Anyways, someone informed me that Azula isn't as tall as I thought she was. Well, I knew she was short but 5 foot, seriously. She's shorter than me and that's saying something, no wonder she's such a bitch. So, I was talking with my friends telling them that if she was that short at 14 there was really no logical way for her to shoot up seven inches while being malnourished in a prison/sanitarium. Maybe two inches if she was lucky but not seven. Then one of my friends said 'steroids' and I'm like perfect. I know nearly nothing about steroids. All I know is that they make you bigger (unless we're talking about the nether regions of the male gender). So that's totally the reason she's 5'7" now. Not that it would have changed had I not come up with a reason. I like her tall, I always imagined she'd be tall, so she's staying tall.


	5. Chapter 5

Ember Island

Chapter 5

"_The beach has the most special way of smoothing even the most rigid of edges."_

It was an unusually quiet day. Une had ran towards the ocean sometime late last night, both Azula and Ty Lee assumed that it had something to do with the full moon, and hadn't come back. They weren't worried, she had done it before and it was almost expected. When they asked where she went every month Une gave some vague evasive answer which lead to Ty Lee weaving a completely off the wall fairy tale about forbidden love. Something about the water level being at just the right level during the full moon and opening up an otherwise hidden cave that had some kind of magic spell on it that prevented the prisoner within from getting out. Azula couldn't remember the rest but the expression on Une's face when Ty Lee was making it up was priceless and the princess found that she couldn't stop laughing. She had never laughed that hard, ever, but watching Une's usual mask of neutrality crumbled and her literally storm out of the house because of a completely made up ridiculous story was just too much for her and she couldn't stop. The water tribeswoman had left the day after that.

The ever present guards had chosen to suddenly disappear, not that anyone cared. In fact Azula was the one who noted it, and she only did that in passing. She found Ty Lee in the kitchen, of all the places, earlier that morning after nearly collapsing from her training. Azula was about to ask the acrobat if she knew where the guards had gone as she limped her way to a chair. The smell of breakfast made her forget her question so she asked another one. "Why are you here?"

Ty Lee looked up from her cooking with a cocked eyebrow. "Didn't we have this conversation?"

Azula shook her head, "No, I mean why are you in the kitchen?"

"Oh," Ty Lee replied, "Cooking obviously. Someone has to do it, Zuko was pretty adamant about not having any servants in the house in case you, I don't know, went ballistic or something. Before Une came along whom did you think cooked all the meals?"

The princess thought for a minute or two. "I never thought about it, honestly."

Ty Lee smiled. "Well, I do all the cooking. Well, I did. Une's cooking is so much better than mind and she likes to cook more than I do. And she somehow manages to get all of her ingredients for free. So I wasn't going to stop her." Azula nodded, that was reasonable. "How was training? I see nothing's broken."

Azula grunted, her inability to bend without it hurting her wrist or ankles was seriously getting on her nerves. It seemed that no matter what she did they weren't getting any better. "I don't want to talk about it."

Ty Lee nodded, knowing not to pry – she made that mistake before and almost got burned for it. She rounded the island in the kitchen and placed a plate on the table in front of Azula. "Eat this, then we'll skip right to dessert."

That comment threw the princess – since when did breakfast involve dessert – and she looked up from the plate of food to Ty Lee as she turned back to the counter. Then she noticed what the sly brunette was wearing, or more correctly what she wasn't wearing. Smirking, Azula stood, ignoring her food and the pain and rushed Ty Lee, pressing her against the counter playfully. "I think I want dessert first." She whispered huskily, pressing her hips against Ty Lee's plump backside.

Ty Lee stifled a giggle as Azula attacked her shoulders with open mouthed kisses, snaking a warm hand between their bodies to gently stroke her lover's delicate area. The moan of pleasure the action produced boosting her ego and setting her body on fire all at the same time. And that's what they did all morning to well in the afternoon. They did stop to eat whatever they could find that didn't need to be cooked, which happened to be a large bowl of fruit Une had left with a little note saying 'enjoy', which turned out to be highly erotic.

The evening found the couple in a library, lying on the exotic rug with several blankets over them. Ty Lee had fallen asleep a couple of minutes before, snuggled against Azula's warm body. Azula stayed awake, a hand propping her head up to watch the flames dance in the hearth while running her hand through Ty Lee's silky unbound hair. She wasn't thinking of anything, only watching, letting her mind wonder to whatever it wanted. It focused momentarily when Ty Lee shivered, moved closer still, and smiled. The princess couldn't help but smile back as she pulled the covers over the acrobat, vaguely wondering why it was so cold. The light patter of rain on the roof drew her attention, silently answering her question. Even if they were in the Fire Nation, which lay on the equator, the later months closest to the winter solstice were always cooler. Not cool enough to stop tourist from enjoying the beaches during the day but the nights told another story and coupled with the rain. It was slightly chilly.

Azula was not complaining, though, the cooler weather gave her the perfect excuse to pull her little lover to her – not that she needed an excuse. In fact, just to prove the point to herself, she snuggled deeper into the covers, pulling the sleeping woman closer into her. The sudden tightening of limbs around her waist and the warm body pushed against her caused Ty Lee to stir, her sleepy satisfied grey eyes looking into sparkling clear gold as a lazy smile crossed her lips. "I didn't mean to wake you, baby."

Ty Lee shivered involuntarily at the pet name that Azula only called her when they were alone. The acrobat shook her head as she rested it against Azula's exposed shoulder. "We need to get dressed. Zuko will probably be here any minute."

Azula's mood soured instantly but she still held Ty Lee to her. "So he's coming today."

Nodding, Ty Lee risked a quick glance up – slightly relived that Azula's aura was annoyed and not downright angry. "Uh-huh. That's why all the guards are gone, his boat went missing and everyone went out to look for him."

"I see." Azula mouthed coldly.

Ty Lee pressed herself firmly against Azula, drawing a ragged breathe that came out close to a hiss from the princess. "I figured that since the guards were going to be gone and Une was off doing whatever she does we could have some alone time. Just us."

The princess couldn't stop the smirk that donned her lips. "That was a good idea. I did quite enjoy it." She hesitated a second. "I do have to wonder why no one felt the need to tell me."

Ty Lee giggled at Azula's cross expression, pecking her lips lightly. "We did, Une and I, separate times. Both times you nodded and waved us off, far too interested in that book you were reading." She ghosted her fingers over Azula's arm, making her shiver. "What was that book about?" Ty Lee whispered, her warm breath flowing over Azula's lips.

Azula smiled, golden eyes glazed and burning like molten gold. "Like you don't know." The princess said back, pressing her lips against Ty Lee's and running her hand over a well formed thigh.

Ty Lee giggled into the kiss and pulled away. "Of course, Une has interesting taste in books." She stood, letting the covers drop from her body. "We have to get dressed; they could be here any minute."

Azula grabbed Ty Lee's wrist suddenly, stopping her from walking away and almost pulling back to the pallet. "The weather's not getting any better. It could be hours before they arrive."

Again Ty Lee couldn't help but giggle. "Azula…." With the look Azula gave her, a soft smile with eyes that sent her heart pounding in her chest without fail every single time, there was no way she could say no. Ty Lee down played it by rolling her eyes but smiled happily as returned to the pallet, hovering over her lover – her long wavy hair acting as a curtain of silk. "Fine, but just once more." She said, deepening her voice to try to imitate Azula – fighting back the giggles.

Azula giggled, her voice higher pitched, as her arms wrapped around Ty Lee's neck. Over the course of the day they had become good at this little game. "I knew you'd see it my way."

~x~

Azula set on the couch in one of the living rooms writing in her diary, long charcoal hair done up in a messy bun. Well, writing wasn't the right term, doodling was more like it. Ty Lee was off in the kitchen (wearing appropriate attire) making a simple easy quick meal. It had only been a couple of minutes since they had gotten dressed. "Finally," a male voice that Azula recognized but not as her brother's complained. "The weather out there is terrible. I thought we'd never get here."

"Shut up Sokka." A female voice that Azula immediately recognized as that water peasant that hung around the Avatar remarked, making Azula frown at the implications but not making her stand to actually check.

"Zuko…" Ty Lee's voice echoed along the halls. "And everyone. Zuko are you sure this is a good idea?"

She heard her brother scoff, probably with a smile, "Une said it'd be fine."

"No," Ty Lee corrected, whoever else was with them staying silent. "Une said that she was fine, that she was doing excellent. Not that you can bring people who…" her voice lowered to a whisper and Azula couldn't hear what she said.

The princess sighed, closed the diary, and stood – keeping said diary in her hands – as she made her way towards the voices. Finding her brother and Ty Lee easily. Upon her arrival, half the people with her brother went ridged. She recognized most of them, Mai and Zuko – obviously – the Avatar and that water peasant, whatever her name was, the captain of the Kyoshi warriors and the water peasant's brother, whose names she also didn't bother remembering. She couldn't be sure but Azula believed a member was missing. The earth bender, the blind one, that's who was missing. "Azula." Zuko addressed, almost coldly.

"Zuko." Azula replied, just as coldly – crossing her arms. "I see you've brought all of your friends. What's the occasion?"

Zuko squared his shoulders, daring his sister to argue with him. "Everyone's been working hard to keep the peace. I thought it would be nice to have a short vacation of sorts."

She rolled her eyes, as if she was going to take that bait but before she could reply another voice interrupted. "What the hell is going on?"

Everyone turned to the front door where doctor Une stood, her long brown hair more blue than ever and soaked all the way through. The clothes she left with were no longer on her pale body, replaced with a dark blue bikini that hugged her like a second skin. The muscles in her long legs and arms rippled, as if she had just come from a hard long swim. No pair of eyes had turned from her flawless body. Sokka was actually drooling. "By the spirits Une." Azula remarked, her voice breaking the silence. "Look at you. You're…."

"Hot." Ty Lee finished.

A perfect brown eyebrow. "I know. Now is someone going to tell me what's going on?"

The sound of the Kyoshi warrior smacking her husband on the back of the head drew everyone out of their stupor. Golden eyes still scanned the pale woman's body even as she spoke, "Zuko decided to have a short vacation with his friends here." Then as an afterthought. "You are so toned and swimming does this for you?" She saw the disapproving, slightly jealous, look on Ty Lee's face and pulled the acrobat to her (causing more than a few confused looks from Zuko's friends). "Almost as toned as Ty Lee."

Une smiled at the couple, glad that her little day away had brought them closer together. "Yes, but it takes years. We can discuss this later." She turned her suddenly cold gaze to Zuko. "What made you think that this was even close to a good idea?"

He frowned, remembering why he disliked her so much. "This is his vacation home, Une." Azula interrupted before her brother could make a fool of himself. "If the Fire Lord finds the time in his busy schedule" exaggerating the word 'busy' only to get on his nerves. "to have a short get together with most of his friends then he should."

"What do you mean by most?" Sokka asked, offended.

Azula glanced at him, rolling her eyes. "The blind Earth Bender, where is she?"

"Toph?" the water peasant asked, not that Azula knew the girl's name.

"How many blind Earth Benders do you know?" Azula inquired her tone biting.

Katara glared at the princess, making Azula's day even better. "Toph is somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. We've mostly lost contact with her." Mai answered, monotone, stopping Katara's glare.

"You're all right with this, Azula?" Une asked, completely ignoring everything else that was going on, all that mattered was her patient.

Azula sighed. "I don't believe I have a choice in the matter. This place is large enough, I'm sure we can avoid each other."

Une nodded, that's all she needed to know. "Well, alright then. You know where I'll be if you need me. I won't be going anywhere."

"In the kitchen?" Azula asked completely serious though her eyes sparkled, making Une and Ty Lee chuckle at the inside joke.

Une ignored the question, "I'm going to find more appropriate attire."

"Doctor Une." Zuko called before said doctor could get out the front door. Une turned to him but remained silent. "After you find adequate attire I have someone I'd like you to talk to."

Une scowled, "I only take one patient at a time."

He chuckled, though it seemed forced, "No, no. It's just that Katara here," he placed a hand the water bender's shoulders. "Was interested to meet a person who thinks they are from the Eastern Water Tribe."

The expression the doctor's face never changed as she eyed the tanned woman. "What would a peasant of the Southern Water tribe know about the Water Nation's Capital?"

The offended look on Katara's face combined with Une's comment was a little too much for Azula and she laughed loudly. The foreign sound nearly giving the Fire Lord a heart attack. Everyone looked at her, Ty Lee and Une the only ones smiling along with her – they were use this form of open emotion from the princess – but the others only looked at her oddly, having never heard her actually laugh and mean it. She tried to stop herself, but found it nearly impossible, though it did die down to a soft chuckle. "That was hilarious. You should have seen your face."

"Azula," Zuko chided softly, mindful of the temper that the Water Bender usually tried to hide.

For her part, Azula completely ignored him. "I'm glad I could amuse you, Azula." Une said the slight confusion as to why Azula thought it was funny clearly present in her tone. "Well, anyways, I'm going to put on some clothes and when I come back we can discus whatever little fairy tale your grandmother told you about my island."

With that the doctor walked out the front door into the rain, leaving Azula still chuckling and Katara still fuming. Katara sighed in an attempt to calm herself, hands on her hips because it wasn't working well. "Well, what you said about her is true." Katara replied, turning to Zuko.

"See, I told you." Zuko defends. "I still don't know why she likes Azula so much."

"You know what they use to say, Zuzu." Azula intoned her tone dry. "I'm lucky."

He scowled at her and she took that as her queue to return to her dairy. At least, she would have but Ty Lee's hand had a firm grip on her wrist and Ty Lee wasn't going anywhere. "Where are the kids?" Ty Lee asked, tightening her grip on Azula's wrist momentarily and catching the princess roll her eyes but stay rooted to her place.

"Iroh is watching them." Mai answered. "It's just us adults."

Ty Lee nodded and was about to say something but Zuko's question addressed to Katara made her lose her train of thought. "Did she meet all the qualification of the story your grandmother told you?"

Katara scowled but nodded. "Are you talking about Une?" Ty Lee asked, the conversation drawing Azula's attention as well.

"Yes." Katara answered. "Let's sit down. I'm tired of standing."

Much to everyone's disbelief Azula offered, "The living room I was in before you arrived still has the fire lit, it's quite warm. Speaking of which, Ty, how is that meal coming along?"

"Oh crap." Ty Lee exclaimed after a second of 'deer in the headlights' look, having completely forgotten. "I'll go get it right now."

"Isn't it kind of late for lunch?" Aang inquired, though knowing Sokka one would think he knew better.

"Ty Lee and I haven't eaten anything all day, aside from a bowl of fruit." Azula explained, making her way down the hall to the living room she previously occupied.

"Why not?" Zuko inquired and Azula debated if she should guilt trip him into getting them a cook. "Ty Lee's a pretty good cook." He added, as if reading her mind.

"Ty Lee's been preoccupied most of the day." Azula answered instead, a slight devious glint in her eyes – though no one saw it considering she was leading.

"What has she been doing?" Mai asked in her usual deadpan tone.

The response she wanted to give was 'Why, me of course', to stake a public claim to Ty Lee, telling her brother and his wife and his friends that Ty Lee was hers and no one else's. But she didn't, instead she waved her hand dismissively and remarked. "Oh, this and that."

She wanted to keep her relationship with Ty Lee hers and hers alone for as long as she could. Of course, that look in Mai's eyes when she glanced back at her told her that she probably already knew. Oh well, at least she knew Mai wasn't likely to tell anyone. Without another word passing between them they entered the warm living room, Azula unhesitant about taking a seat in one of the armchairs. Zuko, Mai, Katara, and Aang chose the couch while Sokka set in front of the fire – watching everyone – and Suki set as far away from Azula as the room would allow. Azula carefully hid her diary behind her and crossed her legs, the low light of the fire being blocked giving her an altogether menacing appearance.

Katara, Aang, and Suki tried their hardest not to notice, not to even acknowledge the Fire Bending princess. Thought her natural presence was making that hard to do. Tension built into the room like thick smoke from a burning building with no one really knowing how to break it. Thankfully, Ty Lee had no such problem as she bounced into the room all rainbows and sunshine. She handed Azula a bowl of what smelt like dried beef and portage, a simple meal that when Azula accepted it without complaint confounded Zuko and Mai. The looks on their face was enough to make Azula smirk. That smirk only grew when Ty Lee looked around the room, finding all of the seating taken and looked back at Azula. She uncrossed her legs and moved her bowl to the side table, allowing the acrobat to sit mostly in her lap – the chair being large enough to fit a little more than one.

Not even thinking twice about it, Ty Lee turned to Katara, making sure to press against Azula without bringing it to anyone's attention. "So, did I miss anything?" no one answered, most of them still confused by what Ty Lee had just done and that Azula had even offered. "We were talking about Une right?"

"Right." Katara answered, eyeing the two suspiciously. "Well, I was talking with Gran-Gran the other day and I mentioned the Eastern Water tribe and she told me this story about when she was younger."

"Oh, I love stories." Ty Lee exclaimed, the predictable behavior making everyone smile.

Katara chuckled, "I wasn't going to go tell the story." she admitted. "I was just going to tell Zuko that she looks like the description Gran-Gran gave me of people from that tribe."

"Oh?" The acrobat inquired.

"Has she said anything about where she comes from?" Sokka asked from his position.

"She's told Azula." Ty Lee answered, the pause as everyone looked at Azula – who was eating – would have been unending seeing as Azula wasn't saying a thing. "I asked but she said it sounded crazy. What did your grandmother say about it?"

Katara sighed, "It does sound kinda crazy." She admitted. "My Gran-Gran said when she was younger living in the Northern Water tribe she was walking along the shore, far away from anyone else, and she came upon this young woman laying half way on the ice."

"Was she dead?" Suki asked, having not heard the story.

"No, she was just laying there. She wasn't even asleep. Gran-Gran said that she was inhumanly beautiful, in an odd way. Her skin was pale, almost translucent against the sun. I imagine as pale as Doctor Une. Her hair was this aqua green-blue color, but she said it looked like it had once been brown. Gran-Gran said her eyes were cold and hard when she looked at her but softened to apathy after a few minutes of staring at each other. The oddest thing was that Gran-Gran said she had webbed fingers and toes." She paused as most of the people in the room gasped, excluding only Azula. "Gran-Gran wouldn't tell me what her name was but when the creature spoke it was like a wave of calm fell over her, like nothing in the world mattered. Long story short they got into a conversation and the woman told Gran-Gran about where she came from and what it was like there. She said she came from the Eastern Water Tribe and that it was located under the water and her conversation with this woman was the reason she left the Northern Water tribe."

"That does sound kinda crazy." Ty Lee admitted. "But knowing Une, I don't really doubt it."

"Thank you, Ty Lee, that makes me feel so much better." Une replied, her sudden appearance making everyone pause, thankfully dressed in an aqua robe.

"You're welcome." Ty Lee answered automatically with a wide smile that Une couldn't help but return. "Are your fingers really webbed?" she asked bluntly what everyone wanted to know.

"Yes." Une remarked as if it was the most natural thing in the world, walking to the acrobat and spreading her fingers wide.

At first the acrobat didn't see anything, they looked like normal fingers to her – maybe a bit long but some people have long fingers. She pouted slightly and grabbed the pale hand in front of her, turning it so that the thin translucent membrane between her fingers reflected the light. After gasping lightly she smiled, "I bet you swim really fast with webbed fingers."

The younger woman's general accepting nature amused Une as she took her hand back, letting it rest against the elbow of her other arm. "Well, yes, the webbed toes don't hinder my swimming either."

Ty Lee nodded, stopping when what Une said finally registered. "I guess it wouldn't."

"So, the Eastern Water tribe is under water?" Katara inquired, drawing the older woman's attention.

"That is correct." Une answered.

"Why?" Suki spoke up. "How do you breathe underwater?"

The doctor looked at the Kyoshi Warrior before answering, debating if she should go into the story. "Actually I would like to know that as well." Azula finally said.

Une sighed, damn it, if Azula hadn't asked she could have said nothing. Cursed her stupid honor and self proclaimed rule to never lie to those she respected. "The Eastern Water Tribe was, well is, an Island of female warriors, the greatest water benders in the world…."

"Why only women?" Sokka asked curiously with a hint of doubt.

"Water is the element of change, like lightning. A woman's body is more adapt to change than a man's body, meaning a woman is naturally better at those elements that require change. How else do you explain Katara becoming a master of the element at the ripe old age of fourteen?" Une answered as if she were giving a lecture on sand, completely deadpan with no emotion. "The women in my tribe were a fearsome bunch. I assume you've heard of blood bending?" she asked Katara. The water bender nodded solemnly. "As I thought, for those of you who don't know, blood bending is a technique that uses the blood in one's body to control said person that only female water benders can perform. It can only be done by modern water benders during a full moon. The warriors of the Eastern Water Tribe could use this technique any time of the day and what's more blood bending was only the beginning of the form.

"There's bending of water in the muscles and internal organs. Some were, well are, so good that they could bend water directly from the body." Une's smile as she said this was cruel and cold and sent shivers down the spines of everyone there, except Azula – who used that same smile quite often – and Ty Lee – who had seen that smile quite often. "But anyways, after the war ended there was no place for such warriors in the new world. So we sunk the island and our bodies adapted to the new environment. Simple as that."

Silence filled the air, until Sokka finally stood up. "Wait wait. If all you're saying is true, why is the Northern Water Tribe so against female warriors?"

Mai rolled her eyes and answered, "They probably feared the female warriors and didn't want to knowingly create more like them."

Une nodded, "That's mostly the reason. There's also the fact that they are a bunch of chauvinistic pigs but that's neither here nor there."

Katara chuckled, "It's so true." She agreed.

"But you didn't answer how you breathe underwater?" Ty Lee noted. "Do you have gills behind your ears or something?" Everyone just looked at her as if she were crazy. "What?"

Une sighed, slightly surprised at the acrobat's astute observation, but if it was anyone else she would have ignored the question completely. "No, that unrealistic," Une began and everyone nodded in agreement. "My gills are along my neck." She touched the sides of her neck, the very slight almost invisible slits along her neck catching the shadows. "When I'm in water for more than five minutes my secondary respiratory system kicks in and I take the oxygen from the water and breathe."

The explanation was bizarre and unrealistic and threw everyone into silence as they digested the information. Seeing the evidence didn't seem to be helping them understand any better, it just made the whole thing more bizarre. "So, if you're the queen of this tribe of Warriors you must be the greatest water bender ever to walk the earth." Azula observed, breaking the silence again – because Une's appearance or place of origin was unimportant, but having a master water bender who could claim to be the greatest as her doctor was a learning experience and great pleasure she wouldn't pass up.

"I am." Une answered unashamed and unhesitant.

"You're the queen?" "Prove it?" Ty Lee and Katara said in unison.

"Yes I am queen." Une answered. "How do you want me to prove it? I can do just about anything with any thing that has water in it."

The younger water bender stopped, thinking of something that would be nearly impossible, something no other water bender could do. "She could blood bend." Aang suggested, that being the only thing he could think of.

"No, I can do that." Katara shot down.

"You could heal my wrist and ankles." Azula offered a smirk plastered on her face. "You've been boasting about how great your offensive bending is; a warrior like no other. So, let's see you do the opposite. Water Benders are known for healing, let's see you heal something no one else can heal."

Une gave a smirk to rival, just as the others were thinking that that idea was a good one. "I accept that challenge. Stand up, princess. I will not kneel to you."

Azula patted Ty Lee's hips, silently telling her lover to get up. The acrobat obeyed, getting up just long enough for Azula to stand before sitting back down. The princess held her wrist out to the pale woman. Une took the wrist into her cold hands – the slight webbing clearly visible now that Azula knew what she was looking for – not yet producing water, as she gently messaged the area – gauging the damage. "This is bad." She noted, not particularly in a concerned manner. "Thick heavy chains." Again it was a note. "Alright, Azula," She addressed looking up at her charge. "This will hurt."

True to her word, when Une produced the water from seemingly out of the air and surrounded Azula's wrist with it the pain was intense. It felt like the water was spiking into her wrist like countless needles, cutting deeper than the bone. But Azula's expression remained unmoving, even though she felt like screaming. She could handle pain; she'd been doing it her entire life. However, that didn't stop her from sighing when one of her wrists was finished. "Very impressive," Une acknowledged. "I'm going to heal the other one and then you're going to lie down and I will continue with the process. After words you will more than likely collapse from the pain." Azula nodded as Une continued to the other wrist. "Once this is finished, Ty Lee, I will need you to apply lotion to her wrist and ankles, to rehydrate the skin."

"Why?" Azula managed, somehow keeping her tone even.

"I'm using the water in your skin and built up water in your joints to heal your wrists and ankles." Une explained. "The water in your body is already formulated with the right minerals to heal itself and with the right coaxing can get into places normal water cannot and allowing it to get rid of the unnecessary air pockets, rebuild the decaying cartilage, and mend the fractured bones. The pain you feel is from the rapid dehydration of your skin and the water forcing the air out of the dry skin." Azula nodded – though she only got about half of what Une said – and Une smiled sympathetically, truly impressed that Azula hadn't cried out yet. "I'll tell you what, if you can manage to get through the entire process without crying out I'll heal the scars around your neck, wrist, and ankles."

Azula smirked, winced slightly, and nodded, that was a deal she would win without a doubt. Though the ankles were far more painful than the wrists, but Azula set her jaw, ground her teeth and didn't so much as groan. Her body wasn't quiet as corporative as her voice, however. After the first ankle was finished her entire body was trembling, the sweat condensing on her forehead, and the rug below her acquired two new burn marks the exact size of her fists. Ty Lee, being the intelligent and caring person that she was, immediately went to Azula at the first sign of distress once Azula was on the ground. The princess wouldn't admit it but those hands that were rubbing her back and neck and through her hair were the only reasons she didn't cry out.

Once the process was over only a dull throb from her wrists and ankles was left. With a triumphant smirk the princess looked at her doctor, trying and failing to control her ragged breathing – though the smirk never faltered. Her glazed golden eyes shone brightly with pride. "Ha." She managed after a second, glancing at the people around her, the guilty look on her brother's face pleasing her more than it should have. "Champion." She said lightly, before her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed against Ty Lee.

Une chuckled. "Ty Lee, take her to bed. She'll sleep till morning." The acrobat nodded, easily picking the princess up and leaving the room. "That could have been avoided. Chains, Zuko, really," The Doctor said as she stood, dusting her hands on her robe. "Well, anyways, now that I've adequately proven myself to you…people I'm going to bed."

"Was that healing session taxing?" Sokka asked, the silent implication that she was lacking in some way clearly understood.

Une rolled her eyes. "That was elementary. This convenient storm with the heavy rain that kept you lot away long enough to give Azula and Ty Lee some much needed alone time was a bit taxing. That and changing the natural current of the ocean," the concerned look on Katara's face that said she was about to protest made her smirk. "Which made sure your boat veered hours off course and making you late. Thus making the guards panic into thinking that something bad may have happened to you and sending everyone out to look for you. Most of them haven't come back yet – not that they matter. I fixed the current as soon as you docked." She walked to the door. "Oh, tell your Gran-Gran that Nelem said hello. She was actually asking about her recently." She waved backwards as she left the room, stunning everyone at the power she boasted.

~x~

Azula was up before the sun, though she lay in bed till long after it rose. When she first woke her mind was foggy and the body against hers was keeping her sinfully warm. Her mind cleared quickly when it registered what, and more importantly who, was sleeping next her. For the next hour, or two, she watched Ty Lee, whispering fingers and knuckles along the contours of her face, till her grey eyes fluttered opened like the wings of the a butterfly. A smile that rivaled the brightness of the sun itself blessed her and she could see herself waking up like this every morning for the rest of her life. "Hey." Ty Lee said.

"Hey." Azula answered back, giving her lover a rare genuine smile – her hands finding a place on Ty Lee's hips.

The acrobat frowned slightly, the edges of her mouth resisting the action immediately. "How long have you been up?"

"How long have you been sleeping in my bed?"

Ty Lee giggled, snuggling in close against the princess, wrapping her arms tighter around Azula's waist and taking in her spicy scent. "Forever."

Azula chuckled. "That doesn't make any sense."

The acrobat only smiled. "How are your wrists and ankles?"

The princess paused, she had actually forgotten all about that. She pulled a hand from Ty Lee's hip up along her side, drawing the tips of her fingers along her arm – smirking when she felt a shiver – until her hand was free from the covers. Mostly she looked at her flawless wrist – the light scars that once marred them completely gone – twisting it and feeling no pain, but she always kept an eye on the acrobat who was watching her wrist. "No pain." Azula admitted putting her hand back in its original place.

Ty Lee smiled. "That's good. I knew Une wouldn't lie to us."

"No she wouldn't." Azula agreed, moving closer to kiss the shorter woman's nose making her giggle. "You know what that means, don't you?"

"You can be the greatest Fire Bender ever again." Ty Lee answered, keenly aware of the warm hand moving lower down her hips.

"I never lost that title, Ty Lee," Azula informed. "But I was thinking more along the lines of something more fun and long last." Her hand ran lower still, pressing against the acrobat's inner thigh. "There's no pain to stop us." She whispered, her husky tone making Ty Lee shiver.

Their lips touched in a passionate kiss as their bodies molded to each other, warm hands running under Ty Lee's shirt – messaging the subtle flesh. "Azula!" a voice that was not Ty Lee's yelled as the door to her room was basically slammed open.

"Fuck." Azula cursed, her good mood ruined instantly as she instinctively pulled the covers over Ty Lee. "Don't you know how to fucking knock?" Azula growled, turning to the door and unsurprisingly finding her brother standing there.

"I thought you'd be up by now. It's way past sunrise." Zuko reasoned with a shrug, ignoring her tone and usage of foul language. Gone were his royal robes and in their place a lose fitting red and gold outfit. "We were about to head down to the beach and Suki was wondering if Ty Lee wanted to come but we couldn't find her. Mai suggested that she might be in here."

Spirits damn her brother, she growled lightly, looking down in Ty Lee's concerned eyes - so much for keeping her relationship just between her and Ty Lee. For a second she considered not telling him and making up a perfectly believable lie but the look in her companion's eyes told her that that solution would cause more problems than it would solve. She could see the doubt in Ty Lee's expressive eyes, thinking that she wasn't worthy of being with her princess publicly. Azula sighed and asked, "Do you want to go to the beach?" Ty Lee shook her head with a smile; she could think of so many better things to do than go to the beach, like breakfast. Une would be up soon and she would start cooking some confection or another. Until then, though, she could think of a few things to pass the time. Azula turned back to her brother. "Ty Lee has better things to do right now. You and your friends go have fun."

"She's in here? In your bed?" Zuko said slowly, his mind simply unable to register what that implied.

The younger royal rolled her golden eyes, getting more annoyed with her brother than she ever had before, which was saying something. Was it too much to ask for him to just go away? "No, Zuko, I was talking to my covers. Yes, she's right here."

Slowly, as if she was embarrassed – though she wasn't – Ty Lee peeked out from under the red silk covers. "Hi Zuko." She said meekly.

"Now you see. Go away and think about what this implies. Or don't I don't care. Just go away. Have fun at the beach."

"Right." He said, agreeing easily because his mind was still processing this new information. "Okay, I'll see you later." Zuko backed away slowly, closing the door behind him.

"Idiot." Azula sighed, smiling as she looked at Ty Lee.

"Does this mean we're official?" Ty Lee asked meekly. "Can I call you…"

A long finger on her lips stopped her from further speech. "You can call me whatever you want, Ty Lee. Just know that you are mine. I only wanted to keep it between us a little longer. Damn Zuko and his timing"

Ty Lee giggled and smiled – she couldn't remember ever being so happy. The woman of her dreams, the most perfect and beautiful person in the world, was claiming her and her alone. A tear slipped from her eye, only to be kissed away. "Thank you."

Azula chuckled, pulling the younger woman to her in a loving embrace. "Don't thank me silly. Now, where were we?"

TBC

A/N: Sorry for the late Update I was totally involved in developing my LARP character.


	6. Chapter 6

Ember Island

Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I was totally into Gargoyles, still am actually. But anyways, this chapter was hard for me write and I actually think Azula is OOC towards the end. Regardless, here's the update.

"_Like waves washing away the footprints on the sand…"_

The fires dimmed, casting the large room into darkness. Azula set placidly in the red cushioned chair, dressed to the nines in her royal attire. Ty Lee set to her right, also dressed to the 'T' in royal formal attire (that she borrowed from Mai's closet). Une set to her left, dressed in her normal blue tunic with a glass of some type of alcohol in her hand. The acrobat seemed to be the only one who was actually excited about what they were about to see. Silently, Azula wondered how on earth she managed to get herself in this situation. She had hoped that once her mother left she would never ever be forced to see the Ember Island Players again.

No such luck apparently. It had been a rainy day when Ty Lee skipped into the living room where Une and Azula were minding their own business doing their own thing. "Guess what?" The acrobat said happily as she flopped down in Azula's lap, completely ignoring the fact that Azula was doing something.

The princess frowned. "What?" Azula asked, keeping the frown even when Ty Lee pecked her lips, though it was hard to maintain.

"If Une agrees to accompany us, Zuko said that we could…wait for it…" she paused dramatically as Une began to pay attention. "Go see the Ember Island Players. Yay! Isn't that exciting?"

Azula groaned, "Not really."

"Ember Island Players?" Une asked, interrupting the acrobat before she could start pouting.

"Yes." Azula answered. "My Mother use to make us see them every summer. They butchered Love Amongst Dragons every year."

"So they're performers." The water bender stated.

"Loosely." Azula intoned dryly.

"Yep. But this year they've come out with a new play called 'The Tale of Two lovers.' My guess is that it's that Earth Kingdom legend. You know that one that concerns those two people and the caves or something. Anyways, there were a lot of rocks on the poster."

Une nodded. "It could be interesting."

"Don't say that." Azula scolded and almost tossed her book at the water bender. "That's the last thing I want to do."

The water bender smirked. "I don't know, Azula. It could be good for you to get out into the real world for a change."

"Besides I've never been." Ty Lee noted and it was settled.

Azula sighed, damn Ty Lee and her never seeing these damned performers. Golden eyes glanced over to the acrobat, who was sitting on the end of her seat, unable to stay still to save her life. At least it wasn't as bad as when that bastard Sokka thought it was a good idea to give Ty Lee cactus juice, she was literally bouncing off the wall. Everyone thought it was hilarious until Azula happened to walk by. Of course when grey eyes caught sight of the princess nothing else mattered. Not where they were, not the mood Azula was in, and definitely not the fact that there were other people in the room. Had Ty Lee not been trying to take Azula's clothing off the princess would have been flattered and smug. But, as they were, Azula grabbed her acrobat's nimble hands, effectively stopping them, and kissed the woman till her legs could no longer sustain her weight – much to the surprise of everyone in the room – before storming off to her bed room.

Again the convalescent sighed as two performers came onto the stage, oddly enough wearing blue and red. "Long ago." The female performer wearing blue started.

"When the world was a much different place." The male performer wearing red finished.

They held hands. "There was a love forbidden by time."

~x~

"That was the dumbest, most ridiculous play I have ever seen." Une raved, amusing Azula at how fierce her attitude towards the play was as they walked their way back to the mansion, donning normal attire in order to blend in.

"I don't know." Azula started. "It wasn't as bad as Love Amongst the Dragons. I found the story original, the acting wasn't half bad, and the graphics were pretty good."

"I thought it was romantic." Ty Lee intoned, looping her arm with Azula's and smiling – which was reciprocated. "The way the Water Tribe warrior and the Fire Nation warrior would meet even though their entire people disapproved."

Une scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You're only saying that because you don't know the real story."

"I just don't understand why the Fire Lord got involved." Ty Lee admitted, ignoring what Une said completely.

"The Fire warrior was the best in the Fire Lord's army." Azula explained. "The Fire Lord didn't want to give him up."

Ty Lee smiled, leaning her head on Azula's shoulder. "Oh. You're so smart Azula."

The simple compliment made the princess smile. "That's not how it really happened." Une moaned, smacking her head with the palm of her hand.

"Well enlighten us." Azula challenged.

The water bender sighed and slowed her stride to match the couple. "The actual tale is based a very long time ago. And it doesn't concern just any Fire Warrior and Water Warrior. It concerned Agni the god of fire and Undine the goddess of water back when they actually involved themselves in the affairs of their people. In the beginning they hated each other, absolutely loathed each other. Then the war of the gods started and everyone fought. Agni and Undine fought against each other the hardest."

A brown eyebrow lifted. "But then how did they fall in love?"

Une sighed. "The god of the Earth thought it would be hilarious to cage them in a mountain together. They were stuck in there for seven days and one thing lead to another." A soft smile played on her lips as she fingered the red gem on her choker. "And when they escaped that affair didn't stop. Agni handed over the status of Fire Lord to his son and Undine did the same with hers. So they could be together. Of course when the new Fire Lord found out he wasn't too happy."

The couple nodded. "What did Undine's son say about it?"

Une shrugged. "He didn't care. He just wanted her to be happy."

"I suppose with the Fire Nation being more military based than the Water Tribe the Fire Lord, new or not, would not be happy."

"Oh, he wasn't." Une smiled. "He got into many fights with his father over it but nothing like the exaggerated fight in that play. The boy knew his place, he would not start a physical altercation with his father."

Azula chuckled. "That would have been stupid."

Ty Lee nodded in agreement. "But did they end up together?"

"Of course." Une answered automatically. "What kind of story would it be if they didn't?"

Ty Lee chuckled. "A bad one," she squeezed Azula's arm. "But if you think about it the play wasn't that far off from the truth."

Une rolled her eyes, "It couldn't have more far off."

Azula chuckled and pointed out. "You're offended as if it concerns you."

"That's ridiculous." Une stated with a wave her hand. "But more importantly, how do you feel Azula. This is your first time out in public in a long time."

Azula scowled at the convenient way Une segued the focus of the subject to her. "I'm alright I suppose. There wasn't much interaction with people, though. We were in a secluded booth and didn't talk to anyone. I don't know how that was supposed to help me." She said as the mansion came into view. "If you wanted to see how I do around people then we should have probably gone somewhere else, like a public beach or…"

"That's a great idea!" Ty Lee interrupted excitedly, "I didn't think you'd want to go so I didn't ask." She let go of Azula's arm and as she was running to the mansion she called back. "I'll send a messenger bird right away."

The princess only stood dumbfounded, mouth slightly opened, as she watched her acrobat race towards the building. "Fuck." She cursed lightly, which made Une laugh. "Why did I have to say that?"

The water bender shook her head and continued to laugh. "Looks like we'll be going to the public beach."

"I hate you." Azula replied as she continued her path to the house – fully aware that Une was going to back the acrobat and not come up with some reasonable, if not completely true, reason why Azula couldn't go to a public beach.

~x~

Azula lay on her towel, soaking in the rays of the sun and trying her hardest to ignore the sounds of everyone else on the beach. Honestly, she was not as annoyed as she thought she would be. Ignoring the people on the beach was much easier than she imagined. But ignoring Ty Lee was another thing completely. The public beach was not in walking distance from the mansion so they took a carriage, considering a palanquin was simply out of the question – thank you Zuko. Azula had thought nothing of the large bag that rested beside the water bender or the white gauzy dress that Ty Lee donned. Well, that's not true, the dress Ty Lee was wearing was tight around her supple form and almost transparent. It was all Azula could do not to take her the instant she saw her.

Those thoughts were amplified when Ty Lee set her bag next to Azula's towel and began unpacking her own things, after fending off about three potential suitors. Ty Lee set up her umbrella – which Azula had no idea how she managed to fit in her bag – and took her dress off, revealing a white two-piece suit that barely covered their intended areas. The princess noticed that more than half the male population and some of the female population on the beach turned their attention to the acrobat as her lean built form stretched out on her towel. Azula knew – she was one of them.

Azula grumbled and forced her attention away from the woman beside her and on the chuckle that came from the water bender on the other side of her. "Someone's got a crush." Une sing songed in a whisper so only Azula could hear her.

"Fuck you." Azula answered back, glancing back at Ty Lee's revealed form before her view was blocked by some bulky guy. "Don't you have an ocean to explore?" she asked, turning her attention back to Une when Ty Lee told the guy to 'take a hike' in a much nicer way than Azula would have.

"What? And leave you here with all of these potential victims. I think not." Une said.

"You're in a mood today." Azula pointed out.

Une looked at the fire bender through the dark glasses that covered her eyes – an item she had to explain to Azula. "I suppose I am. I'll be meeting up with my spouse later tonight."

The princess nodded. "I see. When was the last time…."

Her question was interrupted when a round ball hit the sand between her and the waterbender and sending sand flying at them. Azula grabbed the ball angrily with every intention of bursting it. Une placed her hand over Azula's and shook her head. "It was an accident. Be nice."

A little boy ran up to her smiling like an idiot in her opinion. "Can we have our ball back?" he asked, gesturing mildly to his three friends. "We're real sorry, we didn't mean to let it land here." He added when Azula made no moved to give him the ball.

Azula scoffed, "Fine. Just don't let it happen again. You won't get it back if it does."

The little boy bowed when the ball was in his hands, saying a quick thank you, and ran off back to his friends. "See was that so hard?"

"It nearly killed me." Azula scowled as that same ball drew her attention as if flew over a net – ignoring the fact that yet another guy was talking to her Ty Lee.

Standing, the princess made her way over to the fire volley game that was going on. Surprisingly she recognized the people who were playing, the same girl with the weak left foot that they had dominated a long time ago. "I don't understand." Azula admitted when Une stepped up beside her.

"I don't either, Fire Volley was never one of my strong points." Une answered, knowing full well that was not what Azula talking about. "In fact I think the game is somewhat pointless."

Azula scowled, "Not that. I understand how to play the game perfectly." Une chuckled as she nodded. "What I don't understand is why they still play. Those are the same exact people we played against the last time I came here. We dominated them, it was humiliating. But they still play."

"It's not about winning, Azula." Une answered, the scowl deepening on the princess' young face. "It's true. They do not play because they want to win. They play because they love the game. They play to have fun."

"To have fun?" Azula repeated, that was an interesting concept.

Une placed a cold hand on Azula's bare shoulder, causing the princess to shiver at how cold it was against her hot skin. "I understand that that is a foreign concept to you. To do something because you enjoy it seems pointless and weak, but it is not. It can be very relaxing."

Azula chuckled, her body getting use to the cold hand on her shoulder. "It's not that foreign to me. I know for a fact that my father would not approve of what I do with Ty Lee and I do quite enjoy my time with her." she admitted.

The water bender was surprised that Azula was not blushing with what she was saying. The first time they discussed Azula's private time with Ty Lee the princess was completely red and had actually stammered for the first time her life. "Very true." Une agreed. "Speaking of which." They turned in unison to where the acrobat was still sitting, trying her hardest to fend off one guy in-particular that simply would not leave her alone while still being polite about it. "I think she's trying to impress you."

"What?" Azula said incredulous.

"I'm assuming she's never had a problem attracting men and she's trying to impress you by telling them to go away instead of using them at her whim." Une explained. "I'm actually surprised that you're not jealous."

"Ty Lee knows where her loyalties lie." Azula replied and rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms and watched as the man would not go away, grinding her teeth together in annoyance.

Une noticed of course, recognized the signs of anger as the convalescent's temperature rose. "Are you going to let him harass her like that?" The water bender pushed verbally, getting the effect she desired as Azula nearly stormed over to her lover and the man.

She debated, as she slowed her pace slightly, if she should just sit down beside Ty Lee and wrap an arm around her waist. Her scowl deepened when the man handed Ty Lee a ridiculous shell and decided that her first option was out of the question. A devious smile formed on her lips briefly before she hid it behind a neutral mask. "Excuse me." She said with the most sickenly sweet voice she could muster as she tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned to her, eyeing her thin toned body and smiled at the princess. She had to force herself not to throw up. "Can I help you?" He asked, his voice deep and swoon worthy.

"Azula." Ty Lee whispered, wondering what her princess was up to and worried that she might actually fall for this guy.

He was, after all, a grand example of the male gender. Had the situation been different like it was a long time ago when Ty Lee believed that she would have no chance with her princess she may have taken him up on his offer for a date. But as things were she couldn't be happier and had only gotten annoyed with his persistent pestering. She had been relieved when Azula finally intervened. "You are in my way, please move." Azula intoned politely, the slight scowl she allowed to form on her lips the only sign that she was annoyed.

"Oh, sorry." He said, his white teeth gleaming in the light.

The last thing Azula was, was impressed. His bulky form moved slowly as he stood and the instant he was close enough to out of her way Azula slipped quickly between him, taking his place beside Ty Lee. "Hey there sweet sugar-cakes," She drawled with a smirk, though her tone was completely serious and that caused to Ty Lee laugh.

Azula smiled at the sound of Ty Lee's girlish laugh. The fact that the man wasn't to please by the laugh at the lame pick-up line also fueled her smile. Without any form of hesitation Azula pulled Ty Lee closer to her, their skin touching lightly. The princess tightened her hold on her acrobat's slim waist as she lifted the shorter girl's chin and initiated a passionate, soul searing kiss. Ty Lee was so shocked by the sudden public display of affection that for the first half of the kiss she only set there. Azula chuckled, pulled back very slightly and commanded, "Kiss me."

Ty Lee did not need to be told twice as she moved against the taller woman, her nimble hands gliding over Azula's already hot skin till they intertwined behind Azula's neck. The kiss deepened when a hot tongue ran across smooth lips. It was Ty Lee who eventually broke the kiss, laying her head on Azula's shoulders in an attempt to stop herself from going a step further and making love to the princess on a very public beach. Azula only chuckled. Her smile however, faded quickly when she looked up and saw the gawking face of the man. "You're still here because…?" she asked, the irritation clearly heard in her tone.

"I…I um…" he stammered and that wasn't good enough for Azula.

"Leave. Now." She demanded as she threw a blue ball of fire at his feet. The heat on his feet was enough to get his bulky body moving. "Idiot." She whispered, hearing Ty Lee's laugh vibrate against her neck. "Ty Lee." Azula called, once again lifting Ty Lee's chin so that grey met gold. She kissed her once to get her point across. "You are mine, don't you forget that." She whispered, her hot breath sending tingles down the acrobat's spine.

"Never." Ty Lee answered back.

"Aw, isn't that cute." Une's smooth voice mocked lightly as she set down on her towel.

Azula frowned but shot back quickly. "You're just jealous."

Une sighed, "I am." The doctor admitted easily, flipping her hand slightly. "You two are so lucky, getting to see each other every day."

Ty Lee scowled slightly at the admission, though Azula was willing to leave well enough alone as she lay down on the towel. "What do you mean? How often do you get to see your husband?"

A sleek brown eyebrow lifted. "Not nearly enough." A deep smooth female voice answered before Une could, drawing the attention of the three women sun bathing.

A pale hand ran through wild black locks, tied at the nape of her neck in a mock semblance of control, as the woman knelt beside the slack-jawed doctor. A slight smirk crossed her thin lips as her brick-red eyes softened. The woman took one of Une's paler hands in her own perfectly manicured grip, flipping the pale webbed hand over to lay chaste kisses on smooth knuckles. Azula examined the woman sitting beside her still stunned doctor, wondering why her face looked vaguely familiar. Hooded brown-red eyes lifted to wink at the princess, revealing the thick blue collar circling a slender neck, a precious dark sapphire hanging from the collar to rest perfectly in the shallow dip of her collar – the symbol for water engraved on its surface. "My lady." The woman whispered, her hot breathe ghosting over Une's cool knuckles and making the doctor blush.

Une snatched her hand back in a feign attempt at annoyance, which only accomplished to make the woman smirk. "What are you doing here?" Une's cross voice asked, the couple next to her watching in rapt amusement.

A sly hand whispered over Une's pale shoulder, down her arm causing the woman to shiver against her will. "Why, my dear." The woman purred, her hooded eyes smoldering, sending a chill down the spines of all three women. "I couldn't bear to be apart from you a minute more."

"You're in a poetic mood today, love." Une intoned, clearly unimpressed.

The woman sighed, a swift light puff of smoke emitting from her lips. "Well, I thought I'd delve into my romantic side. Clearly I'm not doing a very a good job."

Une chuckled, patting the woman's cheek. "You were doing an okay job. But you're romantic just by being you."

"That's so sweet." The woman smiled as she stood and offered her hand to Une. "Come, my love. Let's make a date out of the rest of the day, shall we."

Une almost said yes but glanced over to her charge. "Go. We don't want you here." Azula said with a wave of her hand.

"Azula…" Une started.

Golden eyes rolled, "I promise I won't kill anyone."

"I'll make sure she's good." Ty Lee promised, patting Azula's thigh

"See, she'll make sure the princess is a good girl. Spend the day with me; we don't even have to leave the room I have."

Une sighed but smiled as she took the offered hand. "Don't tell Zuko." She warned as she simply left her things on the beach and walked off towards the inland with the woman.

Ty Lee and Azula watched as the unnamed woman wrapped her arm around Une's slim waist, fingering the thin fabric that covered her legs. "Wow, who would have thought?" The acrobat smiled. "Your doctor is married to a woman. Did you know that?"

"I had an idea." Azula admitted, leaning back on the towel, dragging Ty Lee with her.

Ty Lee sighed happily as her skin rubbed against Azula's. "How did you know?"

Azula chuckled as her pale hand snaked down Ty Lee's stomach, tracing the toned muscles of her abdomen and delighting in the slight moan the acrobat muffled against her neck in anticipation. "She gave me a few pointers." Azula whispered, slipping her hand past the fabric of bottoms. "Like this one."

Ty Lee nipped at Azula's neck to stop herself from moaning as thin long fingers caressed soft brown curls to tease at lower lips. "Azula." Ty Lee managed as those fingers delved deeper; pushing past moist walls in a slow, even rhythm. "We're…in public." She stated even as she rocked against the hand.

Azula smirked, her golden eyes glazed with the power that rushed through her as she controlled the acrobat beside her. "Now, now." She teased, resting a hand on the acrobat's hips to still them. "We wouldn't want anyone to notice."

"You're evil." Ty Lee managed through rugged breathes.

"I know." Azula agreed huskily.

~x~

Ty Lee set up on the towel at the sound of familiar voices, confused for only second at her surroundings. "Ty Lee?" Azula questioned lightly, having been woken from her light doze – not that it was a hard thing to do, she rarely dozed peacefully with so many people around.

The acrobat blushed as she looked down at Azula's hands and what those hands had done not more than two hours ago. "I just thought I heard familiar voices." She answered, trying to hide her blush.

"Oh? Did Une decide to come back?" Azula questioned as she set up, stretching slightly and noticing with dismay that her pale skin was red and taunt with premature sunburn.

"No, I don't think so." Ty Lee replied, looking around and not seeing the pale woman anywhere. "I don't see her."

"Then who…?" Azula asked as her question was answered a second later by a male voice not far from them.

Both princess and acrobat turned towards the man and his friend who were talking to two girls not far from them. "Is that…it can't be." Ty Lee whispered. "Do you think they'll remember us?" She turned to her princess who only shrugged.

"Seeing as they're coming this way, I'm guessing no."

"Hi." The familiar male voice began, his white teeth sparkling in the sun.

He was older than she remembered but still just as good looking. His black hair was done up in a traditional top knot and seemed to be a bit longer than before, and now he was sporting a mustache. "Can I help you?" Ty Lee asked, acting as demurely as possible.

"I'm Chan." He introduced himself with a seductive smile. "This is Roun-Jian." Again he smiled. "There's a party at my place later tonight to celebrate my promotion to general." He said smugly, missing Azula's golden eyes roll. "If you two beautiful ladies would be so nice to grace us with your presence I'm sure the party would be spectacular."

Ty Lee glanced over to Azula, who seemed to have found the sand very interesting. "We'll think about it." she answered distractedly, worrying at Azula's lack of emotion and fearing that she might still have some sort of feelings toward the man that stood in front of them.

Chan's smile widened. "I hope to see you there." He eyed Azula as he and his friend waved and went to the next pair of beach goers.

"Azula?" Ty Lee questioned. The princess looked up at her acrobat. "Are you okay?"

A dark eyebrow lifted as a slow smile lit up her face. "I'm fine. Do you want to go to this party?"

Ty Lee shrugged. "We should ask Une if it's okay."

"So you want to go?" Azula repeated.

The acrobat hesitated, she hadn't been to a party or celebration for a long time. Not since the end of the war. Bashfully, she shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "It could be fun."

~x~

So far, Ty Lee was not having as much fun at this little social gathering as she would have in the past. Standing in the corner as she was, sipping on whatever was handed to her and listening to the endless chatter of the people around her. In her short life she had strived to be the center of attention at all times. She no longer felt the need to be the center of attention but being alienated like she was, was not pleasant. Causally she looked to her right where Une and her lover were engaged in, well, each other. Mostly they ignored everyone else but every once in a while Une's blue eyes would cast a glance over to Azula.

They had arrived by carriage just after the sun had set. Ty Lee had stood beside the tall form of Une's lover silently as the doctor counseled her charge. The older Fire bender was not thrilled about going to the party of someone she didn't know but relented when Une casually mentioned that it could be fun. They didn't talk to each other, both eavesdropping on the conversation in the carriage. From the little pieces of the conversation she could catch, Une seemed to be giving Azula tips on how to act in polite society. What to say and things to do and even how to laugh in a way that seemed like she was actually listening were the few things Ty Lee caught. And that's what Azula had done. The instant she had entered the house all attention was turned to her. Whatever regal magic Une had preformed worked fully and even though Ty Lee was one-hundred percent sure that no one knew exactly who Azula was they flocked to her like sheep.

Chan was propped against the pillar Azula was near, his smile sparkling as Azula laughed at something he said, the metals he received for this service (which weren't many) donned his red vest and sparkled in the light. The knot in Ty Lee's stomach tightened as she watched. The acrobat knew where her loyalties lied; she would stay with Azula until the world ended. Azula wasn't bound in such a way. The princess could have anyone that she wanted. Ty Lee reasoned that Azula hadn't been around a lot of people in a while and before that not many people would be around her. Now that she was out in society anyone could take Ty Lee's place as her lover and she had been interested in Chan in the past.

So wound up in her turmoil Ty Lee didn't notice Une walk up to Azula, whisper something in her ear and tilt her head toward Ty Lee. Ty Lee also didn't notice the look on Chan's face when Azula causally brushed him off and headed to her lover. Or the smirk on Une's face as she watched the princess before turning back to her mate. "Ty Lee." Azula's warm voice said as her hand landed on the acrobat's arm.

She jumped at the sudden appearance of her princess. "Azula." The Acrobat replied.

Azula smirked, taking Ty Lee's hand in her own. "Come on." Obediently, Ty Lee followed Azula out of the house to the balcony facing the ocean. Azula turned when the sounds of the party eased and the sound of the waves of the ocean crashing on the sand took over, placing her hands on Ty Lee's shoulders. "Une pointed out that you don't seem to be having any fun." The princess admitted.

Ty Lee sighed and looked down slightly, debating if she should bring up her feelings or not. Finally she forced a smile and looked up, making sure not to look into deep golden eyes. "I'm okay." She answered. Azula only continued to look at the shorter woman, her expression disbelieving and demanding the truth. Ty Lee exhaled deeply, her grey eyes casting to the ground again, unable to look in the direction of that stare. Though looking away didn't stop the over bearing aura of the stare. "It's…it's nothing." She glanced up slightly and remained silent.

The silent awkward moment continued for what felt like forever but was probably only a couple of minutes. Uncharacteristically, Azula released her lover and moved to lean against the railing of the balcony, seemingly letting the subject go. "You know this is the same house we were in last time." she noted, touching the wood under her arms and frowning slightly.

Ty Lee didn't see it though. "I noticed." She replied weakly as she leaned against the balcony beside her princess – looking out into the dark ocean though she didn't see any of it. "They rebuilt the place pretty well."

Azula smirked at the comment and nodded. "Yes, they did."

Again a silent moment followed. "Is this the same place where Chan took you last time?" the acrobat hesitantly asked, her tone low half hoping Azula wouldn't hear her.

She remember all too well when the princess had informed her of her kiss with the then general's son and the tight hard ball that formed in her gut that she down played. It had hurt more than she wanted to admit, especially since she was the one who set the princess up in the first place. "It was." Azula answered, aware of Ty Lee tensing beside her.

"You...you know." Ty Lee started hesitantly, making very sure not to look at Azula. "I know that you're a princess and I'm, well, I'm…if you want to be with…with someone else who has more status…or…."

"You don't want to be with me?" Azula asked forcing a frown, knowing that that was not what Ty Lee was saying.

"No!" Ty Lee denied quickly, her braid snapping as she turned to her princess. She laid her hands on Azula's arms and moving closer till their bodies brushed. "I want nothing more than to be with you."

Azula nodded slightly, smiling only a little as she placed her long hands around Ty Lee's waist. "Is that what's been bothering you? Were you afraid I'd choose him over you?"

"You were interested in him before." Ty Lee answered meekly, moving her hands to Azula's shoulders.

The princess chuckled, kissing her temple lightly. "That was a long time ago."

"Not that long ago." Ty Lee reminded. "I'm just saying…"

A slender finger pressed against Ty Lee's lips, stopping Ty Lee from finishing that sentence. "You will tell no one what I'm about to say." Ty Lee nodded. "You are the only one I want to be with. I love you and only you." Ty Lee opened her mouth to respond and was quickly silenced as warm lips were pressed almost roughly against hers. The princess pulled away, though the acrobat was still firmly pressed against her. "Besides." She whispered wickedly against Ty Lee's lips with a smile to match. "You're a much better kisser."

TBC.


	7. Chapter 7

Ember Island

Chapter 7

"_Ember Island gives everyone a clean slate."_

Une set proudly with one leg crossed over the other in front of the many men who judged her merely on her appearance. She gave her report and defended her charge's actions with deathly precision. No argument could be made that she could not refute. She smirked as they whispered amongst themselves. She would have her way and that was that.

~x~

Ty Lee rummaged through the kitchen, slamming cabinet doors when nothing was found. Azula watched silently from the doorway, smiling as Ty Lee grumbled about the lack of food, her presence unknown to the acrobat. The acrobat opened the last cabinet in the kitchen, which was no small feat considering how big the kitchen actually was, and groaned. "What kind of chef, er whatever, leaves for spirits only know how long with nothing in the kitchen to eat?" she grumbled, placing a hand on her stomach as it growled. "I know, shut up." Her expression brightened considerably. "Azula!" she yelled as she turned, finding the princess at the door with her arms crossed over her chest. The acrobat blushed in embarrassment "Oh, hi Azula."

"Ty Lee." The princess addressed with a slight smirk.

"There's nothing to eat." Ty Lee stated, her blush receding as she walked to her lover.

Golden eyes bore into grey as the smile softened. "I noticed."

Ty Lee's smile widened as she placing both of her hands on Azula's still crossed arms and leaning up to kiss her gently. "I was thinking that we could go out to the market to get something. And you know, maybe have lunch or something."

A perfect black eyebrow lifted. "I'm sure the guards would love that."

"Who would tell them?" her answer was a disbelieving look. "Oh, come on. Please, Azula." The princess remained silent. "We'll just walk out and if the guards stop us I'll come up with something. I just don't want to go alone. It could be fun, like in the old days."

"We're not that old." Azula pointed out cynically.

Ty Lee scowled, which was only cute to Azula and made the princess smile. "Details, details. So, what do you say?"

Azula sighed in mock exasperation, "Oh, alright." Her lips turned up into a smile as Ty Lee bounced like a child, clapping her hand together. "I assume you have some plan?" she asked just to continue to be pessimistic.

Ty Lee stopped bouncing and frowned for a brief moment. "I thought we'd walk out. They won't say anything."

Again a black eyebrow lifted at the sure tone the acrobat was using but didn't comment and decided to simply trust Ty Lee. Oddly enough Azula found that trusting her lover was far easier than she imagined trusting anyone would be.

~x~

Azula chuckled softly to herself. "Come on Azula, it wasn't that funny." Ty Lee chided lightly, though a smile donned her lips as well.

"I thought that guard was going to faint. Did you see the look on his face?" the princess took her acrobat's hand, even though they were almost to the market. Red painted Ty Lee's cheeks for a second at their intertwined hands. "Is that how you get whatever you want, with kindness?"

Ty Lee nodded, squeezing the hand that held hers. "When I was younger someone once told me to 'kill them with kindness.' I find that it works, so why stop?" She shrugged with a happy childish expression.

Azula nodded that she understood, though she would never be able to kill someone with kindness. But, if she tried it on her brother he might have a heart attack, which would be amusing if nothing else. "So, what are we going to buy?"

Ty Lee shrugged again. "I don't know. Zuko usually gives me money to buy food but since Une's been cooking I haven't spent any of it. I have a lot stock piled. Why, did you have something in mind?" The princess examined the tips of her long black hair, left down because she didn't feel like putting it up. "Oh." The acrobat stated, examining the split ends. "You need to get your hair trimmed." Azula scowled at her lover, which earned her a smile. "We can do that. We even have enough to make a day out of it!" Ty Lee exclaimed, swinging their hands. "We can go to the spa and get everything: facials, manicures, all of that. What do you say?"

Azula chuckled when Ty Lee's stomach growled, causing the acrobat to blush and place a hand on her stomach. "I think we should eat first."

Ty Lee smiled bashfully, "I think you're right."

~x~

Azula set back from her second meal of the day and watched Ty Lee as she ate her lunch as if she had never eaten before, unable to stop the smile that came to her lips. For the first time in a long time the princess felt relaxed and clean. She had been grateful for the treatment, more so than she thought she would be. The spa on Ember Island was renowned throughout the Fire Nation but it was nothing compared to the treatment she use to receive in the palace. Even knowing this the princess only felt pleased, like years of dirt and grime had been washed away. Her skin and nails were smooth and flawless, not that they weren't that way all the time but now Azula truly felt like they were. Her hair was trimmed and they even styled it in a top knot. It was long enough now that all of her hair was pulled back – making her appear somewhat masculine but she didn't particularly care – she'd pull her bangs down later.

Her thoughts drifted to the woman in front of her. She couldn't help but wonder where she would be if Ty Lee wasn't in her life. Mentally she grimaced at the conclusion to that thought; forgotten in a lonely dark cell to small for her to even stand in.

"What are you thinking about?" Ty Lee interrupted, drawing Azula's attention to her, the acrobat having pushed her empty plate to the side and was examining her princess with her chin in her hands.

"You," Azula answered honestly and then said something she had never said before, "Thank you for today."

Grey eyes widened in surprise before softening with a gentle, warm smile. "You're welcome. I'm glad we can do this." Ty Lee rounded the table and set next to her princess, cuddling up to her side. The acrobat's grey eyes bore into Azula's in a moment of rare seriousness. "Not too long ago I was sure that I would never get to be with you, even in the little ways like now. I didn't think you'd get better or if you did that you wouldn't forgive me."

Azula's smile faded instantly as one of her hands moved to Ty Lee's hair. "You have me now and you have been forgiven."

Ty Lee nodded. "I know and it makes me so happy. I can't even describe how happy being able to do these things with you makes me."

Azula swallowed. "I have nothing to give you, Ty Lee but…" She paused, hesitant in expressing the subject that'd been weighing on her mind for some time now. Gently, Azula pushed Ty Lee back – just enough to look her square in the eyes. "But I would…"

"Hey." A male voice interrupted, making Azula curse under her breath as said male and his friend set in front of them. "We didn't see you leave the other night."

Azula's golden eyes glared at Chan and Roun-Jian, who obliviously smile at them. She had never hated someone as much as she hated the two men sitting in front of her at that moment. Ty Lee forced a chuckle at the pure hatred in Azula's aura. Whatever Azula had been about to say, something very important considering the nervous colors that flared in the princess' aura, had died the instant the two men called out to them. Grey eyes glanced over to the princess, who looked like she wanted to kill someone – fry them to a crisp. Yes, the mood had defiantly been destroyed.

"We had prior engagements." Azula answered curtly, crossing her hands on her lap and giving off the image of an innocent, demure woman.

Ty Lee chuckled at the image her princess was giving off, knowing full well that Azula was anything but an innocent demure woman. At any moment the princess could strike them down and they wouldn't even know what hit them, she was sure of that. "That's too bad." Chan said, his eye brow wiggling a little as his teeth sparkled in the sunlight. "We could've had real fun."

Azula's golden eyes turned to Ty Lee, who was trying her best to stop from laughing. A devious smile donned the princess' lips as she remembered what kind of 'fun' she and Ty Lee had experienced that night. The image of Ty Lee gasping her name, covered in sweat, her toned body trembling and arching against her own with pleasure came to her mind. "Oh, we had fun." Azula admitted, Ty Lee's hand over hers telling her that Ty Lee's thought were taking a similar path. "I hadn't been to a social gathering in ages." She covered up smoothly.

Chan smiled, his teeth sparkling as he brushed back his hair. "We are known for having the best parties on the whole island."

"The whole island?" Ty Lee exaggerated.

"That's right." Roun-Jian finally spoke up, flicking his long hair out of his face with a jerk of his head. "We'll probably be having another one pretty soon."

"Is that so?" Azula questioned, the interest showing in her features completely fake.

"Yeah, after the princess' war trial ends we'll more than likely be throwing a party." Chan responded, earning him confused and concerned looks.

Azula turned to Ty Lee who only shook her head in the negative. "War trial?" the princess asked.

"You haven't heard?" Roun-Jian asked as if he couldn't believe it. The princess and her lover shook their heads in the negative. "Princess Azula's trial for her deeds against the other nations during the war is being held as we speak."

"Actually it's probably over by now." Chan interrupted, looking up at the sun. "I heard she went totally insane at the end of the war."

Ty Lee watched in concern as Azula's hands balled into fist under her hand. "I'm sure that's a lie." Azula responded, training her expression to remain neutral.

Chan laughed. "Have you met the princess? She was nuts before the end of the war. It wouldn't have taken much to push her over. She probably got what she deserved."

Azula managed to stop her growl. But surprisingly it was Ty Lee who spoke violently in her defense. "You don't know her. She's three hundred times the person you are! But you wouldn't know that. You met her once at some stupid party a hundred years ago." Ty Lee's voice rose as she stood and slammed her hands on the table, Azula to stunned at her uncharacteristic behavior to be impressed. "Just because she and her friends ruined your little social thing and probably got you in trouble with your daddy is no reason to wish insanity on her. You bastard!" Ty Lee huffed and grabbed Azula's hand. "We should go."

"Ah…okay," was the only response Azula had time to think about as she was pulled from the table.

Chan looked at his friend. "What do you think that was about?"

Roun-Jian only shrugged.

"Ty Lee." Azula called as she was pulled further into the bustling market place. "Ty Lee hold on a minute." The acrobat ignored her, still fuming. "Ty Lee, stop!" Azula finally demanded, pulling hard on Ty Lee's hand to stop her.

Ty Lee stumbled backwards at the sudden force on her hand. Without another word Azula pulled her lover down an empty ally, stopping only when no one could see or hear them. She turned to her lover. "Those guys were jerks Azula." Ty Lee stated, her eyes red with unshed tears. "You shouldn't listen to a word they said."

"I won't." Azula assured, placing her hand on her lover's cheek and drawing her closer. "Thank you for defending me." She kissed the acrobat lightly. "It meant a lot."

Ty Lee giggled, "What else was I suppose to do? They were saying bad things about what's mine."

Azula chuckled, kissing the woman she loved again, "Of course. Let's finish shopping and then go back."

Ty Lee nodded and allowed herself to be pulled back into the crowd. "Did you know anything about your trial?"

"No." Azula answered honestly, her hand never letting go of Ty Lee's. "No one told me anything."

"Don't you think that's something you should be at?"

The princess shrugged. "I'm sure Une's taking care of it for me. She hasn't let me down yet."

Ty Lee nodded as she let go of her lover's hand only to wrap her arms around Azula's arm. Golden eyes smiled down at Ty Lee's behavior, though the princess' features remained neutral. "I love you." She whispered, making Azula smile very slightly.

"I love you too."

~x~

Propping her head in her hands Azula watched her lover sleep, moving a strand of brown hair from her angelic face. The sun had just set but they had been in bed for a good three hours, two of which Ty Lee had been sleeping. Azula had assured her acrobat that she would fall asleep soon after but that hadn't happened. The outcome of her trial still weighed heavily on her mind. It was true that she had heard nothing of what was to happen to her. But nothing short of banishment came to her mind, though she had no idea where she would go. Neither the Water Tribe and especially not the Earth Kingdom would want her anywhere near their borders.

She brushed her knuckles against Ty Lee's cheek, watching her lover smile. If she asked, she wondered if the acrobat would go with her, wherever it was she was suppose to go. She wondered if she should ask, if she even had that right. Of course these doubts wouldn't stop her from asking. So really the point was moot but that didn't stop her from wondering. Ty Lee mumbled happily in her sleep, turning on her side and cuddling up to Azula's warm presence. "Would you come with me?" Azula whispered as she leaned down to place a butterfly kiss on her lover's temple. She gasped lightly when grey eyes fluttered opened. "You were awake?"

"Not for long." Ty Lee answered honestly with a slight yawn as she set up, the red silk covers slipping from her exposed torso.

"How much did you hear?" The princess questioned.

Ty Lee ignored her as she stretched. Azula remained where she was, her golden eyes roaming over the toned form. The acrobat smirked, purposefully making her stretch last longer than it needed to as her hands reached skyward. The instant her hands lowered she leaned over, pushing Azula to the bed and falling on top of her. She cupped her face and kissed her thoroughly. "That's how you kiss someone." Ty Lee remarked as she pulled back.

"I see, my apologizes." Azula smiled, placing her newly manicured hands around Ty Lee's wrists that had yet to release her face.

Ty Lee leaned down again till her forehead touched her lovers'. "You're forgiven." She kissed her once. "Now, listen to me." Grey eyes bore into golden ones. "I would follow you till the ends of the planet, even if you didn't want me too."

"Why would you do that? You have nothing to gain from leaving with me." The princess remarked.

The acrobat groaned, nuzzling her head under Azula's chin and wrapping her hands around Azula's arms to rest on her shoulders before answering. "Haven't we already talked about this?" Azula remained silent and Ty Lee sighed. "I'll have you, I don't need anything more."

The princess exhaled heavily, she couldn't remember a time when she felt as happy as she did at that moment. Unconsciously, she knew Ty Lee would never leave her but it still felt oh so good to hear her say it. Azula ran a hand through Ty Lee's unbound brown hair, watching it slide through her hands like silk. "Ty Lee,"

"Hm." The acrobat answered, the smile on face felt against the skin of Azula's neck.

"Would you…" a knock came to the door, "fuck." Ty Lee giggled. "Who is it?" Azula demanded, unable – and not really trying – to stop the growl that came out with her tone. Une's familiar chuckle was heard from the other side of the door as it was opened. "I said who is it not come in!" Azula growled as her doctor entered the room, the princess covering herself and Ty Lee with the silk covers.

"I heard what you said." Une informed, crossing her arms defiantly. "Regardless, get dressed. Your brother has something to tell you."

"Is it about my trial?" Azula questioned, amused at the surprised look on her doctor's pale face. Une sighed, not even bothering to ask how the princess had heard about her trial. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The pale water bender shrugged, "I wanted it to be a surprise. Now get dressed."

"If you want me to get dressed then leave." Azula remarked, throwing a random pillow – which was dodged easily – at her doctor.

Une chuckled again but left the room, at which point Ty Lee jumped up and hurriedly put on a robe and waited patiently – kinda, seeing as she was bouncing on the balls of her feet – for Azula to do the same. When Azula had tied a belt around the waist of her robe Ty Lee grabbed her arm but allowed Azula to lead the way out of the room. Une met them on the other side of the door, looking more smug than ever before. Azula didn't comment on the look as the water bender led the way to one of the living rooms where Zuko, and only Zuko, set.

The Fire Lord's golden eyes looked up as his sister entered in only a robe. He almost smiled at the image of her, with her hair slightly messed up and the robe slightly wrinkled. He couldn't remember ever seeing her look less than perfect and this knowledge only reinforced his decision. Zuko sighed when she set in front of him, out of the corner of his eye seeing Ty Lee – in the same messed up style of dress – give the princess a thumbs up and a warm smile before Une ushered her away. "She seems to care a great deal about you." He said.

"You seem surprised." She answered back, her tone cold and making him scowl. A long silence stretched out between them. Eventually, Azula rolled her eyes, crossed one leg over the other and remarked. "I know my war trail was held today." again the surprised look amused her, but she didn't let it show. "What is the outcome?"

He sighed, looked her square in the eyes as he leaned forward and pressed his hands together. "After much deliberation I and the rest of the world have come to the conclusion that you are excused of all your past crimes and are welcome back into the palace."

The shocked expression on her usually neutral features had him swallowing a chuckle. "What?" She questioned, almost completely sure she was dreaming.

"You've been pardoned." He repeated with a warm smile. "Une was very…" he paused, looking for the correct word, "determined, I guess you could say. I almost wish you were there to see just how hard she fought in your defense. She had the answer for everything. I was amazed at her reasoning for your actions. But she had some good points and it was decided that you are pardoned." He stood and she followed, still not sure that she wasn't dreaming.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" she asked and he chuckled, moving to pat his sister on the back.

"Hardly." He answered, the hand that was patting her back still lingering on her shoulder. "Welcome back. Tomorrow servants will gather your things and you can move back into the palace. That is if you want to."

"Oh I want to." Azula admitted, surprising her brother at how honest her statement sounded and how much emotion she put into it. "But what will I do?"

He sighed, that was a subject he really did not want to get into. So, he rubbed the back of his neck and answered, "After you get settled I was going to offer you the position of my personal advisor."

A perfect dark eyebrow lifted. "I thought Uncle and Mai were your advisors."

He sighed again. "They are but Uncle opened his tea shop in Ba Sing Se and wants to go back to it."

"You would trust me with such a position?" She asked, becoming increasingly suspicious.

"Would you just shut up and accept it." Une's annoyed voice came from the other side of the doorway, her form mostly hidden by a wall. "He isn't like you; he trust people easily." She accused, making Azula scowl. "But he doesn't have the tact you do and tends to be blunter than a spoon and easily angered when dealing with politicians from the other nations. As such he's terrible at delicate negotiations. If things continue as they are the Fire Nation with become impoverish and another war may be started, however unintentional it may be. You were breed for that kind of thing." She waved her pale hand dismissively, though Azula's scowl had turned into a smirk rather quickly. "And despite everything he still wants to have some sort of brother sister family…thing."

Azula nodded, though her doctor couldn't see it. "Alright then," She bowed to her brother, despite how painful it was for her to do. "I accept your offer."

He bowed back out of courtesy then when they both straightened he added. "Of course our deal still stands."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, he just had to ruin the moment. "I figured as much." She stated as she walked to the door and turned to Une. The water bender looked at her charge for a brief second before the young woman bowed to her. "Thank you." Azula expressed which only earned her a smack on the head with a rolled up piece of paper. "Hey! What the hell was that for?" She yelled, ignoring her brother's chuckles as she glared daggers at the water bender.

Une chuckled, "You're not rid of me yet, child. I'll be around until you are comfortable in the palace once again and I am satisfied that all is well up here." She gently poked the princess' forehead, almost getting her hand burned off.

"Fine." The princess scoffed, "Where is Ty Lee?"

"Probably with Mai." Zuko answered as his expression suddenly lightened. "Have you met your nephew Lu Ten? He's one and half now."

Azula thought for a moment, though you couldn't tell she was thinking seeing as she was only staring at her brother, before answering. "I've seen him once." She admitted. "But I did not stop to be introduced." She decided to leave out the part that she thought it was stupid to introduce herself to a child who more than likely couldn't comprehend what she was saying and her general dislike of children altogether.

He smiled and motioned for her to follow. "They're this way." He stated, passing Une towards the other end of the house.

Une chuckled when Azula did the most childish thing she had done since before her mother left, she stuck her tongue out at her doctor. "Very mature." Une commented, not moving to follow, and earning a rather crude hand gesture that made her laugh again.

Azula followed her brother to one of the sunrooms, the rays of the moon illuminating the room is silver and blue. Zuko went to his wife and set next to her, kissing her softly as he did. The princess stopped at the door, observing her lover cradle the one and half year old boy in her lap, his small head leaning against her chest and for a second Azula thought that maybe children weren't so bad. The acrobat's grey eyes turned to her as Ty Lee handed the boy to his mother and promptly bounced over to Azula, embracing her hard. "Mai told me everything. Congratulation!" She congratulated in a whisper as she pressed her lips against Azula's.

"As if there were any doubt." Azula replied, running her knuckles against Ty Lee's cheek.

Ty Lee smiled, very aware of how much doubt her princess actually had and how relieved she truly felt. "Of course." The acrobat agreed. "Aren't you happy? We get to go back to the capital tomorrow."

Azula only nodded, choosing not to speak for fear of her real emotions coming out. She was so very glad.

~x~

Azula set on the beach watching the sun rise dressed in her new royal Fire Nation attire, which looked just like the outfit she use to wear when she was a general for her father only bigger to fit her taller stature. The servants had started putting her few possessions away to be shipped to the capital not long before she made her way to the beach, her journal in hand. She had written a little in it but the rising sun drew her attention and now her mind was wondering.

"Aren't you excited?" Ty Lee's welcome voice asked as the acrobat set beside her, moving over so that she could lean against the woman she loved. "We get to go home."

"Very." Azula answered calmly, feeling the rays of the sun fuel her inner fire.

A comfortable silence enveloped them for a while. "I was wondering," Ty Lee started, drawing her lover's attention again, "about the deal you made with Zuko before we came here. Actually I was wonder how it all went down. No one would say anything to me when I woke up."

Azula sighed deeply, not quite sure how much she wanted to reveal to her little acrobat. Then she decided that with Ty Lee it was okay to leave nothing out. "You know why I was there that morning don't you?"

Ty Lee nodded, "Aang was going to take your bending. Zuko said you were too dangerous with it."

Azula pulled Ty Lee closer to her by the acrobat's slim waist. "Yes, that's what I was told. I barely remember any of what happened before we were attacked by the fake guards. I know you tried to protect me." She kissed the top of Ty Lee's head. "And that you were injured in the process." Ty Lee tensed. "I don't know what happened or how I did it but I managed to get out of my chains and completely incinerate the guards who attacked us. They were nothing more than a pile of dust and whatever drugs they were giving me to make me complacent were burned from my system."

Ty Lee gasped. "Is that even possible?"

Azula smirked and shrugged, "Apparently."

"Wow," Was Ty Lee's clearly impressed reaction. "No wonder Aang didn't want to take your bending, your will was probably stronger than his at that point."

Azula chuckled and agreed. "No wonder." Exhaled heavily she continued. "After that, I was bound again and taken to Zuko's private study. As a 'reward' for saving his life and that of his friends I was allowed to keep my bending."

"And the conditions?" Ty Lee inquired, making Azula momentarily proud that Ty Lee had assumed there were conditions instead of assuming that Zuko had simply let her off the hook.

"The condition being that if I ever tried to harm him or any other member of his family, which of course excluded me, my 'reward' would be stripped from me and I would be banished from the Fire Nation with no chance of redemption. He then informed me that I was far too dangerous to be allowed to stay in the palace so he would place me somewhere to continue to recover."

"Hm." The acrobat responded. "That…hm…I don't know what to say to that." She admitted.

Azula's golden eyes turned to her lover. "You don't have to say anything."

"I feel like I should say something." Ty Lee whined lightly, tugging on Azula's sleeve and making the princess chuckled.

"How about: everything turned out for the best." Azula offered.

"Oh, that's good." The acrobat remarked then coughed in her hand before continuing. "So, I guess everything turned out for the best."

Azula laughed at her acrobat's antics. "Sometimes."

"Sometimes what?" Azula only shook her head. "Sometimes what, Azula?"

Warm golden eyes turned to meet happy grey. "Sometimes I don't know what I'd do without you." Her voice lowered to a whisper, her hot breath sending shivers down Ty Lee's spine as it rushed over her ear. "Sometimes I think I wouldn't be alive without you."

"Azula?" Ty Lee questioned uncertainly, turning slightly so that she could read her lover's aura – seeing the calm blue mixed with a tint of love and flaring with nervousness and uncertainty that did not show in the princess' features.

"Ty Lee." Azula paused, forcing back the lump in her throat as she removed her hand from Ty Lee's waist only to grasp her hands. "I want you to marry me."

Grey eyes widened in utter surprise, of all the things Azula could have been worried about that was it? The very last thing Ty Lee had expected. She'd given up on marriage long ago. "What?" She asked, tears forming in eyes.

"Marry me." Azula repeated. "I want you with me, forever."

Ty Lee took one of her hands from Azula's to cover her mouth for in disbelief, but that was the last thing on Azula's mind as her eyes remained locked with Ty Lee's. "You're serious?"

"Very."

"But what will the Fire Nation say? What will the world say? Two women marring is unheard of."

"Screw them." Azula answered, surprising herself at how honest the words were. "I don't give a damn what they think. As long as you're with me it doesn't matter. Just say yes."

"Yes." Ty Lee laughed through her tears. "By the spirits, yes."

Without warning the acrobat jumped into Azula's arms, pressing her lips to her fiancé's.

TBC

A/N: Only one more chapter left. Yay! I think.


	8. Chapter 8

Ember Island

Chapter 8

"_Ember Island revels the true you."_

The garden at the palace was exactly like she remembered, peaceful and calm. Unlike the palace at the moment. She set at the edge of the pond, calming her breathing. The last time she had been this annoyed she had banished everyone in the palace. She blamed Ty Lee without actually blaming Ty Lee. It was the acrobat's fault that she had been surrounded by seamstress and wedding…people. Ty Lee had let it slip that Azula had proposed not one day after she proposed, which, of course prompted all the upheaval at the palace currently. At first Azula had let Ty Lee handle everything about the wedding, taking the male point of the view. Azula didn't care after all, it was Ty Lee's wedding as far as she was concerned. The princess would have been okay with a marriage certificate and nothing else. But Ty Lee wasn't having any of that.

Again, Azula didn't mind. She took up the responsibilities of her brother's head advisor against the better judgment of his other advisors. A slight smirk tugged at her lips at the memory of her weak brother, who was still weak no matter how his personality changed, stand up to his advisors. In her mind she had proven her worth merely by the first few peace meetings she had attended with the Earth Kingdom delegates and even the new King of the Earth Kingdom. She had almost laughed when Bumi walked into that meeting. Afterwords, at the very informal lunch Bumi had mentioned how much she changed and congratulated her, which did nothing but baffle her.

Azula took the congratulations well, of course, blaming most of her recovering on her doctor and Ty Lee. "Your little acrobat friend?" The Earth King inquired, his eyebrow raising. Azula had nodded vaguely, more interested in her food and the fact that she actually missed Une's unique cooking. "Rumor has it that you're marring her."

Had she been anyone else the food in her mouth would have been all over the table. But seeing as she was who she was Azula swallowed. "Yes, I am." She stated her golden eyes turning to look squarely into his – daring him to say something.

He laughed, slapping his knee. "I knew it." he replied with a crooked smile, making her frown. "So when's the big day?"

Azula's frowned deepened. "I have no idea." She admitted. "I'm letting her handle all that."

Bumi howled and went onto tell them all about his marriage and how he took the same stance as Azula. It had been weeks since then and her responsibilities with the Fire Nation and the wedding increased. Her ceremonial robes had taken more than three hours to hem and re-stitch. For whatever reason the seamstress had been going by her old measurements…or something, Azula wasn't exactly sure what had been the problem. All she knew was that when she tried on the black hakama the seams at the shoulders busted and she spent hours standing in one place while her measurements were retaken and adjustments were made. Standing in one place hadn't been the problem; she could and had done that before. But that didn't make it any less annoying.

They ignored her apparent mood as they scurried around her, doing whatever. Luckily, Mai – of all people – had thankfully relieved her of potentially murdering everyone in the room. The Fire Lady brought Azula to a private room, probably her own, and they waited as the servants set out tea. Mai picked up her cup gingerly, her dull golden eyes never leaving her sister-in-law's. Azula sighed after a few minutes of silence. "What is this about, Mai?"

Mai frowned at the cross tone. Azula had forgiven Ty Lee for her betrayal but Mai was another story completely. She loved Ty Lee, she couldn't claim the same feelings for Mai. "I don't trust you." Mai stated simply.

"Well," Azula started, lifting the tea cup to her lips. "At least someone in this family has retained some sense."

Mai's scowl deepened. "Azula, if this thing with Ty Lee is just some game to you I highly suggest you stop."

Rationally, Azula probably shouldn't have gotten so angry at what Mai was insinuating – after all in the past she probably would have done something like that. She didn't realize that till after she shattered her tea cup and stormed out of the room, too angry to say a word. Why was it so hard for people to accept that she loved someone, that she was capable of that emotion? Mai wasn't the only one, if she had been then Azula wouldn't have gotten so angry, maybe. But Azula could tell the same thing was on the minds of Zuko's other advisors and Ty Lee's Kiyoshi warrior captain – whatever her name was. The only reason they didn't say anything was because they feared Azula, as they should but the stares were still there. And she had even over heard a similar conversation between Ty Lee and that woman…spirits why could not remember her name? As much as Ty Lee talked about her one would think she would remember.

Regardless, she wasn't that important anyways. However, ultimately, that was how she found herself in the garden meditating. She exhaled deeply, focusing on your breathing. She heard the light steps before she heard the voice that called her name or felt the body that unceremoniously fell on her back. "Ty Lee." Azula addressed warmly, knowing from the way her fiancé sighed that Ty Lee was in a rare form of annoyance.

"My family is getting on my nerves." Ty Lee informed. "I don't remember them being this annoying at my other sisters' weddings."

"You're the one who insisted on inviting them." Azula reminded, feeling the woman she loved slide off her back and onto the ground.

"They are my family, Azula." The acrobat argued, though she didn't sound all that convinced. "I just needed to get away from all of their chattering. They have all these ideas and they want me to do them all."

Azula sighed, turning to face her future wife who was lying on her back looking up at the sky. "It is your wedding Ty Lee. Don't let them tell you what you want."

"I know." Ty Lee stated, covering her eyes with one of her arms. "I just did before I stormed out of the room." She paused, her grey eyes peeking below her arm, "It's your wedding too, you know."

Azula sighed again. "We've discussed this." She chided lightly. "You're better at things like this. It's more your wedding than mine."

Ty Lee exhaled lightly and smiled, sitting up suddenly and linking her arms around Azula's neck. "You're the best."

"I know." Azula answered, making Ty Lee giggle.

Placing her hands on the acrobat's hips Azula drew Ty Lee closer into her lap and kissed her slow and sweet. From the corner of her eye she saw Mai turn around back into the palace entrance. With no one else around Azula drew all her attention to the acrobat in her lap.

~x~

It surprised Azula how nervous she had been. The wedding had been very public; it seemed everyone in the Fire Nation had been there. She even saw some green and blue splashed within the red. Not that that surprised her, she expected the Kiyoshi Warriors to be there and of course Une was there. Azula stood confidently in her black haori-hakama, the haori dyed deep red, trimmed in gold lining with the shoulders pointing towards the sky. The emblem of the Fire Nation embroidered in gold on either side of the front. She was the first to admit that she looked fantastic in it, and for once she felt like her old self again. Many of the people in the Fire Nation still considered her a hero, which she was surprised to learn, but she accepted the cheers easily.

She turned when everyone grew silent and all thought left her. Ty Lee was beautiful, was the only thing she was capable of thinking of. There simply wasn't a word for how beautiful and stunning she looked. The customary white Shiromuku contrasted nicely with the sienna of her long wavy hair, partially done up with a golden kushi (comb) line with blue flames. The hairpins matched the kushi, golden with a blue fire at the end and blue metal dangling from the fire. The uchikake, the most stunning piece of silk she had ever seen before in her life, was gold at the top and gradually changed to a deep red at the bottom. Blue dragons embroidered on the silk stood out against the gold and red and wrapped around the outfit. And for a moment, as the acrobat walked towards her, there was nothing but Ty Lee. No crowd, or talking or anything. Only Ty Lee.

Zuko's chuckling brought her out of that state and back to reality, but her eyes never left Ty Lee. The white makeup she wore didn't allow much but Azula could tell she was blushing as she stood beside her. "You look good." The acrobat whispered, her grey eyes looking down and flicking back up to Azula's.

Azula smiled and admitted. "There's not a word for how beautiful you look."

The ceremony proceeded at it should, without any interruptions and loud cheering once it was finished. The 'after party' as the water peasant's brother referred to the reception went by in a blur. Azula barely remembered any of the speeches or who all congratulated them. The only thing on Azula's mind was how stunning her wife looked and how long it would take to get her out of her robes. She couldn't be comfortable in them; there were at least three layers. Azula was drawn from her musings as Ty Lee's mother came up to them. For some reason Azula really did not like that woman. Never had, not even when she was child, and probably never would.

The woman skirted around looking at Azula directly, which was fine with the princess. Ty Lee's mother, Changying if Azula remembered correctly, kissed her daughter's cheek and congratulated her, again not looking at Azula. Her long thin manicured hands, that looked the exact opposite of Ty Lee's – even though at the moment Ty Lee's hands were manicured as well – touched the golden red silk in awe. "Where ever did you find such as exquisite uchikake?"

A black eyebrow raised, Azula had been under the impression that Changying was there when Ty Lee was getting fitted for ceremonial robes. Apparently not. "It was a gift," Ty Lee answered, blushing at the attention her mother was giving her. "From a friend. The card that came with it said that it was a family heirloom. Though I don't know which family, do you Azula?"

"No, I've never seen this before in my life and I think I would notice something this beautiful." Azula informed, judging the subtle hints that told her Ty Lee wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Well, it is beautiful but I don't know what was wrong with the one I wore." Changying replied.

Mentally, Ty Lee went through the list of things that she didn't like about her mother's uchikake. It was old, used, the colors were dull and faded, and all of her sisters had worn it before her. She was tempted to burn the offending outfit, accidentally of course, when her mother left it with her. But it was an heirloom, passed down from generation to generation or whatever. Ty Lee had been alone in the room at the time, glaring down at the offending piece of clothing. Traditionally, the uchikake was supposed to be a brightly colored piece of the clothing. She imaging that once upon a time her mother's uchikake had been bright and possibly even beautiful. But now… it needed to be burned.

Gingerly she picked the flimsy cloth up. In all of her fantasies about her wedding she imagined that she would wear an uchikake of unparallel beauty, one that would take the breath away from everyone. The one she was looking at was not it. Not even close. Ty Lee set the uchikake down and picked up a random candle. Just as she was about to accidently drop it, and yes the idea that she had been spending far too much time with Azula did cross her mind, a knock came on the door. She almost dropped the candle, then it would have truly been an accident, and cursed her fast reflexes.

The door opened before Ty Lee told them to enter and would have scowled if the person opening the door hadn't surprised her. The woman she recognized as Une's wife closed the door behind her, holding a large box. They hadn't said more than three words to each other. "Can I help you?" she asked.

The woman smirked, which made her look strangely like Azula, as she eyed the candle and said, "No, but I can help you."

Ty Lee looked at the candle, her arms still positioned over the uchikake. She had the decency to blush and put the candle back where she found it. "It's not what it looks like."

"Hey." The woman said dismissively. "You do what you have to do. I know at the last minute of my wedding Une destroyed her robes."

"She did?" Ty Lee inquired, finding that bit of information amusing.

The woman nodded with a fond smile. "Yeah, she said it didn't suit her anymore. And the poor seamstress' had to work all through the night to make her a new one." She sighed at the memory, still smiling. "Anyways, I have something for you." She handed Ty Lee the box. "I know Une doesn't like to talk about her personal life but I'm something of a historian. Some time ago I stumbled upon an underground storage bunker that was hundreds, maybe even thousands of years old." Ty Lee couldn't be sure but she thought the woman was lying. However, she didn't inquire about it, after all that could be considered rude, as she set the box on top of the one with her mother's uchikake. "From what I could gather from the scrolls and tombs it belonged to either your family or Azula's directly."

Ty Lee fingered the neat thread keeping the contents of the box a secret from her. "What?" She asked, that last statement confusing you.

The woman shrugged. "Family lines are all mixed now days. But either way what's in the box is yours. Your ancestors would want you to have it."

The acrobat thanked the woman, whose name she never asked for, her attention on the box. She had gasped at the garment in the box that seemed to glow. "Ty Lee." Azula called, a hand running past Ty Lee's face.

"Oh! Sorry. I zoned out." Ty Lee apologized.

"We noticed." Azula countered her tone cross but Ty Lee could hear the playfulness in it.

But from the look in her mother's eyes she was the only one to hear it. "Nothing was wrong with yours, mother." Ty Lee intoned and changed the subject back to the one it was on. "This was just a gift from a really close friend." From Azula's chuckle, Ty Lee knew she knew that she was completely lying. "I would feel bad about not wearing it."

Had it actually happened that way she would have felt bad for not wearing it. But as it were she was just glad to have it. Changying looked unconvinced but decided not say anything. Her daughter had looked beautiful after all. She'd be the talk of the entire nation for weeks. "Regardless, I'm just glad you finally settled down." The older woman said, kissing her daughter's cheek before walking off to find her husband.

Ty Lee scowled at the back of her mother's head. "That face is unbecoming of you." Azula remarked.

"I'm not settling down." Ty Lee whined lightly. "I married you, how is that settling down?" Azula smiled as her wife circled her arms around her neck. "I think we should retire for the night." Ty Lee whispered. "These robes are getting heavy and hot."

"You know," Azula answered. "I was thinking the exact same thing. Good to see we're on the same page."

"Yes, well, as nice as that is." The familiar voice of the water bending doctor interrupted, pulling them apart. "I would like to talk to Azula alone for a second. Is that okay, Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee nodded, "Just bring her back soon. And tell your wife thank you for the uchikake."

Une nodded. "I won't be long." She paused before she started to take Azula away and turned to her charge's new wife.

She whispered something in the acrobat's ear that had her cheeks flushing. Ty Lee nodded. "Azula, I'm going up to the room first, okay."

Azula only nodded slightly, watching her wife sneak around officials to the exit. "What did you tell her?"

Une smirked. "Nothing." She lead her charge into a relatively private area. "Now for the reason I want to talk to you. I won't take you long, I know how much you want to get to your room. First, you've come a long way, Azula. I'm very proud of all that you've accomplished."

Azula quirked an eyebrow, unsure of what she should to say. So, she guessed, "Thank you?"

The water bender chuckled. "I am sorry that your brother was unable to find your mother in time for your wedding. She doesn't know what she's missing. I would have loved to talk to her. We could have worked out some of those issues."

Azula rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I'm glad he couldn't find her."

"Now, Azula." Une chided lightly. "You know that isn't true."

"Whatever." Azula remarked, this was the absolute last thing she wanted to talk about.

Internally Azula admitted that she did want her mother to be there for her wedding but she'd never say as much out loud. Une read this in the princess' eyes and sighed lightly. "I won't keep you much longer. I only wanted to give you this gift." From a bag under her formal blue robes Une produced a tall dark blue bottle. "It's from my country. Drink it with her later tonight. It's suppose to bring about miracles." She chuckled at Azula's disbelieving expression. "Yes, I know. It's only a legend."

Azula took the bottle, watching the dark liquid inside swish slightly. "Wait. Are you leaving?"

"Yes." Une answered honestly.

"Will I see you again?" Azula inquired before asking any further questions.

Une smiled, "It's very likely." She placed her pale cold hands on Azula's shoulders. "If you need me for anything just tell a messenger hawk and I will get the message and come. Do you understand?"

"I'm not an idiot." Azula scowled before sighing. "I'm going to miss having you around."

"I'm going to miss having you as a charge." Une admitted and in an impulsive moment she hugged the younger woman. "Now, you be good." She said when they broke apart.

Azula chuckled. "No promises."

The princess watched as her doctor walked away from her, feeling sadness well up in her. She swallowed it back and looked down at the bottle and then at the crowd of people. A smirk crossed her lips as she easily weaved through them, following the path that her wife had taken. She opened the door to her room without giving any notice, taking the time to read the small label on the bottle. "Ty Lee." she called, feeling the acrobat's presence in the room so she didn't look up. "Une gave us this bottle of…" she looked up and all words left her.

Dozens of candles littered the room, casting in into a soft warm, romantic glow. The bed was made but the covers turned down with a few petals of some flower or another on them. All of this was overly romantic and if Azula had been paying attention to it she would have rolled her eyes. Instead, her golden gaze fell on her wife, who was lighting a candle. The white robes were still on but completely open. The uchikake had been neatly folded and placed in a box, not that Azula knew that.

Ty Lee smiled warmly at her wife as she blew out the fire from the lighting stick. All of her jewelry still donned her body and was cast in a nice blue against the golden glow of the candles. With more seduction then Azula thought naturally possible Ty Lee walked to her, taking the bottle from her hand before she dropped it and blindly placed it on something. "Do you like what you see?" Ty Lee whispered in a low seductive voice.

Azula nodded before coming to her senses and smirking. "You tease."

Ty Lee's smile widened. "I work with what I have." She answered, pressing lightly against her wife. "Will you join me this night, Your Highness?" Ty Lee asked demurely.

"I have nothing better to do." Azula remarked offhandedly, though the smile on her lips and her lust filled aura told another story as she pushed Ty Lee back until she fell against the bed. Knowing hands roamed over the long memorized flesh of the acrobat's toned stomach and defined ribs as a warm body hovered over her. Azula leaned down, her lips a breath's width away from her lovers. "Well, my wife." She loved how that sounded. "Whatever shall we do with this night?"

"There are so many things." Ty Lee agreed, wrapping her arms around Azula's neck.

"Yes there are." Azula remarked. "But we do have all night."

"And morning." Ty Lee added. "I'm sure being as smart and perfect as you are you can come up with something."

Had anyone else said that Azula would have been offended and angered. But her Ty Lee was nothing but sincere. Without another word spoken Azula lowered the few centimeters and kissed her wife.

~A Year Later~

Ty Lee roamed around her shared room with her wife, rearranging the room for her plans. Everything had to be perfect for their first year anniversary. Just moments before Ty Lee had thought that Azula would be overseas dealing with delegates for their anniversary. But a hawk had came in that morning informing her that Azula had wrapped things up early and would be back around sunset. Ty Lee would take what she could get and that's why everything had to be perfect.

She moved the bed slightly, the wooden leg bumping into something cylinder shaped. Confused, Ty Lee put the bed down and looked under it. To her surprise she pulled out a dark bottle of liquid. "To Azula and Ty Lee." she read the label on the bottle out loud. "Congratulations from Une." She paused. "Has this been under here for a year?" Shrugging she placed the bottle on the table where dinner would soon be placed.

If it was still good they would drink it with their meal. Ty Lee checked the time when a nock came on the door. It was almost time! The acrobat let the servants in, watching and directing where they were to put everything. The last servant to leave informed her that the princess's ship had landed at the docks just a short while ago. Ty Lee thanked him, closed the door, and quickly dressed in a simple light negligee one of her sisters had given her as a wedding present. The thing was pink and thin enough to see through with a low dip to show her cleavage and rode high on her hips, barely covering their intended area.

The heavy, determined footsteps on the marble floor told her that Azula was coming before the princess slammed the door opened. Azula noticed the room first. "You're such a romantic." She remarked, still dressed in her royal armor.

"I missed you." Ty Lee commented, enjoying the way her wife's golden eyes roamed over her body.

"I missed you as well." Azula agreed, taking the only woman she loved into her arms and kissing her thoroughly. "Let me get out of this armor and we'll continue our anniversary activities."

"Let me help you." Ty Lee offered and though Azula knew that with Ty Lee 'helping' it would take twice as long as it should she didn't say no.

She like those hands on her as the acrobat slowly unlaced the armor, tracing Azula's ribs as she did so. "Did you report to Zuko?" Ty Lee asked, just to distract Azula.

"He can wait." Azula answered, removing her armbands and tossing them on the floor, that being the last of her armor. "I have more important things to do."

"Oh?" Ty Lee questioned coyly, unable to keep the smile from her lips.

"Oh yes." Azula replied, smirking as she pulled the acrobat against her. "Something much more important." She whispered, her hot breath on Ty Lee's neck as her lips ghosted over her jaw making the shorter woman shutter.

Her heart beat against her ribs like a drum as those dark painted lips lingered over her own. Just as painted lips brushed against Ty Lee's, promising so much more than a simple kiss Ty Lee's stomach growled. The acrobat blushed violently as Azula chuckled. "Sorry." She replied meekly.

"Don't apologize." Azula scolded lightly. "When was the last time you ate?"

Grey eyes cast down to the floor in embarrassment. "Last night."

"Ty Lee."

"I was sad that you weren't going to be here for our anniversary. When I found that you would be I was so excited I…forgot." She defended.

Azula shook her head and chuckled, "Only you, Ty Lee. Only you."

"I know." Ty Lee sighed, allowing herself to be pulled to the low table and the still warm food.

Azula set across from her wife and uncovered the plate in front of Ty Lee. "Eat." She ordered. "You're going to need all the energy you can get."

The acrobat couldn't help but smile. "Of course Azula."

The princess watched for a moment before the dark bottle grabbed her attention. It looked vaguely familiar. She picked it up and read the label, her eyes lightning with realization. "I was wondering where this went."

"I found it under the bed." Ty Lee answered, placing rice in her mouth. "Was it a wedding present?"

"Yes." Azula answered as she unscrewed the cork. "Une gave it to me before she left." she sniffed the smooth sweet smelling liquid. It still smelled good to her.

"I miss her." Ty Lee said as if she had just thought of the water bender at that moment.

Azula nodded in agreement as she poured the content of the bottle in her glass, admiring the dark red of the liquid. "She told me that this was from her country and legend has it that it can create miracles."

"Really!" Ty Lee exclaimed as Azula pulled some into Ty Lee's cup. "What kind of miracles?"

The princess shrugged. "She didn't say."

"Well," Ty Lee started, taking the glass in her hand, "whatever. Happy anniversary."

Azula smiled and clinked her glass against Ty Lee's. "Happy anniversary." Azula repeated.

~x~

She had never hated the sun more at that moment as if fell on her face waking her from a peaceful slumber to a pounding headache. Azula groaned, along with a headache apparently her muscles in her back decided to cramp. Still half asleep Azula tried to get up, finding a body firmly resting on top of her, both covered in the red silk of the covers from her bed. Something was off, Azula realized, ignoring her headache as she forced herself to wake. "Ty Lee." She called the sound of her own voice jabbing knives into her head. "Ty Lee." The acrobat groaned. "Ty Lee."

"Could you keep it down, my head is killing me." Ty Lee answered, wincing at the light and burying her head in Azula's shoulder.

"Ty Lee, we need to get up." Ty Lee groaned again and rolled off her wife, but made no move to get up.

Azula sighed but set up, the movement causing a moment of vertigo to rush through her. "What the hell happened?" She whispered, because anything louder hurt her head.

The feel of marble under her hand registered to her mind and she looked down. It took longer than it should have to realize that she and Ty Lee were on the floor, all the covers and pillows littering the room. With more effort than ever before Azula stood, using the bed as leverage, and finding the room in ruin. Somehow the table that had held their food the night before had broken, most of the little knick knacks that were located on the vanity had found their way to the floor along with their clothes, and the mirror of the vanity was cracked. Try as she might, and she tried with all her might, she could not remember much after drinking that wine Une had given them. Vaguely she remembered Ty Lee commenting on how strong the liquid was and only flashes of them kissing after that.

She sighed, she was not in the mood to deal with this. So, with much effort she picked up her wife – covers and all – who groaned in protest, set her on the bare bed, grabbed a few pillows, closed the curtains to the windows, crawled back into bed and wrapped her arms around Ty Lee when the acrobat snuggled against her. A few more hours of sleep and she'd be fine.

The next time she woke it was to Ty Lee's loud gasp and she couldn't stop herself from chuckling when the acrobat groaned. "What happened to the room?" the acrobat asked a hand on her head. "What happened last night?" Azula didn't answer, her head still ached, though it wasn't as bad as it had been. "Azula." The acrobat called, shaking her shoulder. "The sun is setting."

"What?" Azula yelled making both her and Ty Lee flinch. "We slept all day."

"Apparently." Ty Lee answered. "Do you remember what happened?" Azula shook her head in the negative. "Wow, whatever was in that bottle was super strong. Remind me never to take alcohol from a Master Water bender."

"So noted," Azula agreed as she set up.

"My back hurts." The acrobat whined. "I don't think we should sleep on the floor anymore."

Azula nodded in agreement but caught sight of deep red scratches running down her wife's back when Ty Lee leaned over. Unexpectedly, Azula wrapped her arms around her wife, kissing the angry marks she had more than likely made the night prior. "I don't think it was only the floor." Azula remarked, smiling against the reddened skin when she felt Ty Lee shiver. "Whatever we did last night must have unimaginably good for me to leave these kinds of marks."

Ty Lee didn't know what she meant but when she turned in the embrace she noticed heavy bruises – the size of her mouth – along her lover's upper torso. "I see." She said with a smirk. "It's too bad we don't remember."

"Too bad indeed." Azula agreed, pressing her lips to Ty Lee's throat. "I think we should stay in bed today, well the rest of the day. To make up for lost time."

The acrobat whimpered lightly. "I like that idea." Ty Lee agreed, pulling Azula up and into an open mouthed kiss.

~One Month Later~

The meeting, as Azula was officially referring to it, was suppose to be the first actual 'family' dinner of the Royal family, which was odd considering it had been more than a year since she had returned to the palace. She had been assured, despite how tense the atmosphere was now, that this would be 'fun'. Sometimes Azula had to wonder what her wife was doing to make her so happy and optimistic all the time and if she could have some.

Her golden eyes cast to her right, where her wife was sitting, looking pale and like she wasn't having a good time at all. Ty Lee hadn't been feeling well for weeks now but it was an off and on thing and she refused to go to the healer. Occasionally, she would make a face at her nephew and make him giggle and shy away from her, all smiles. But her food had barely been touched, which was not like her at all. Azula caught Mai eyeing her friend worriedly before catching Azula's eye. "Ty," Azula called lightly, placing a hand on her lover's back. "If you're not feeling well, go to bed."

Dull grey eyes looked back at her before a small forced smile came to her lips. "Okay." She looked at her brother and sister-in-law and smile apologetically. "Sorry. I'm just really tired."

Ty Lee stood, using the low table as leverage before standing straight. Azula, Mai, and Zuko were up the instant Ty Lee begun to loose her balance. Azula, because she was closest, picking the acrobat up before she could fall. "You're going to see the healer." Azula remarked in a tone that was not be questioned.

Ty Lee only nodded, feeling dizzy. She still didn't think she was ill, but something was wrong.

~x~

To her utter annoyance Azula had been forced to leave the room as the healer examined her wife. And to make matters worse the only person with her was her brother, holding his son, as Mai was allowed in the room. She seriously would have attacked that doctor if her brother hadn't stopped her, telling her not to make matters worse. If Ty Lee hadn't given her that pleading look Azula would have brushed her brother off and attacked the doctor anyways.

Despite her brother's protest Azula put her hand on the door knob, turning it. Really what could Zuko do to stop her with a baby in his arms? "There's nothing wrong with you." The healer informed with a smile, just as Azula opened the door. "You're pregnant."

The princess froze, heart and everything, at what she had just heard. "What, but that's not possible." Ty Lee argued lightly, no one yet noticing Azula at the door.

The sound of liquid dropping on the marble floor drew everyone's attention to Azula as the gold door knob melted in her hand. "Azula." Ty Lee said worriedly, reading the confused, angered, and betrayed emotions in her aura.

Azula's eyes were shadowed as she released what was left of the doorknob, turned and walked away. Try as she might, Ty Lee did not get up quick enough to stop her lover from walking away. Nearly falling off the bed as she tried to stand didn't help her at all either. "What happened?" Zuko inquired, following the path his sister had taken with his eyes before turning back to Ty Lee.

~x~

Azula rushed, while keeping a walking pace, down the halls of the palace, trying to stop herself from thinking of what she just heard. She wanted to cry, to curl up in her bed and cry. She could feel the tears pricking at her eyes but she pushed them back, allowing anger to replace the other emotion. For a second she stopped and slammed her fist into the wall, breaking the skin on her hand and putting a large hole in the wall. The pain allowed her something to focus on as her knuckles quickly bruised. Pain was something she knew and understood.

The princess made her way to a room, just a random room and went to the balcony, throwing the doors open. The sun was close to setting, burning the city below. Now that she knew she was alone she allowed a few tears to slip past her guard as she thought about what she had just learned. At first it had crossed her mind that Ty Lee betrayed her, again. Had found some random male and…she didn't want to think about what they did. Then reason kicked in, Ty Lee looked confused when the healer informed her that she was with child. Azula ground her teeth together at that thought. Her wife was going to have a child.

Breathing in and out heavily, Azula continued to stare at the city. This wasn't Ty Lee's fault, she decided. She truly believed that Ty Lee loved her and wouldn't do this to her, not willing. Une had assured her that Ty Lee loved her and would stay with her no matter what and the water bender had never lied to her before. She trusted Une and she trusted Ty Lee. Someone else did this. Someone had the nerve, or death wish, to get her wife pregnant and they would pay. A cruel smirk donned her lips as she glared out at the city.

END….Well continued in Of Fire. ;}

A/N: 1st, if you noticed the end of this chapter is a lot like the first chapter of 'Of Fire'. If you didn't then you need to read Of Fire.

2nd, There are pictures of Ty Lee and Azula's wedding outfits on my deviant art. Also, I have to thank 'How to Draw Manga Costume Encyclopedia Volume 40-something: Gowns and Kimonos' for all the names of the clothing Azula and Ty Lee got married in.

Something funny I just learned: Having a Pink Aura means this: self-love, tenderness, female energies, gay energies, emphasis on physical appearances, being 'nice' at expense of being 'real'.


End file.
